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SKETCHES 



FROM 



CHURCH HISTORY 



FOR 



MENNONITE SCHOOLS 



BY 



CORNELIUS H. WEDEL, 




Class £1-8 US 

Book._ 8 ^i_iiil_ 
Gqpight N° 

COEXRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



SKETCHES 

FROM 

CHURCH HISTORY 

FOR 

MENNONITE SCHOOLS 

BY 

CORNELIUS H. ^EDEL, 
Late Professor in Bethel College. 



Translated by 

GUSTAV A. HAURY, 
Professor in Bethel College. 



Published by Direction of 

THE WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE 
OF MENNONITES OF NORTH AMERICA 



NEWTON, KANSAS 
1920 






Copyright, 1920, 

By THE WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE 
OF THE MENNONITES OF NORTH AMERICA 



MAi 28 I32.U 

©CI.A570173 



PREFACE 

The purpose of this little volume is to offer not what the 
pupil should hear in his classes, nor what the teacher should 
know, but what the former should learn and take with him from 
school and should use as a nucleus around which to gather fur- 
ther knowledge. Because of the fact that only a short time can 
be devoted to this study in school, it is self-evident that the 
amount of matter presented must be very limited. The teacher 
should let the class read each new paragraph and should ex- 
plain such words and sentences as are not understood by the 
pupils. Then the pupils should close their books while the 
teacher enlarges upon the subject-matter of the text-book. This 
method will naturally arouse the interest of the pupils. The 
teacher, however, must guard against presenting too much out- 
side matter. During the following recitation period he must ex- 
pect the pupils to know what is given in the text-book. If they 
can give anything definite of w T hat he added, they should be 
especially commended. It is scarcely necessary to warn against 
a discussion of the peculiarities distinguishing the various 
branches of our denomination. For that reason every occasion 
for such discussion has been avoided in this book. Short devo- 
tional meditations and applications are appropriate. They, how- 
ever, will make deeper impressions if they are presented orally 
by the teacher instead of being read out of the text-book. We 
hope that this little volume will prove helpful in our schools. 



COMMITTEE'S PREFACE 

The 27th annual session of the Western District Conference 
of the Mennonites of North America, held at Pawnee Rock, 
Kans., in 1918, instructed its Committee on Schools and Educa- 
tion to provide suitable text books in the English language for 
use in our elementary religious schools, preparatory schools, 
academies and colleges. The committee felt that the needs of 
our elementary religious schools should be met first. Inves- 
tigation showed that a number of books were already in the 
field, which could be used advantageously in such schools, 
but in the field of Church History nothing adapted to our 
needs seemed available. The Committee accordingly arranged 
for the translation of this little book, which in the original, had 
abundantly demonstrated its usefulness in our elementary re- 
ligious schools. 

The Committee desires publicly to express its thanks to the 
persons who so willingly co-operated with it, by placing at its 
disposal the material necessary to bring the history of Men- 
nonite missions down to the present time, and include a brief 
outline of the missionary work of other branches of the Men- 
nonite church. It is hoped that this feature will add to the 
interest and to the usefulness of the book. 

May this little volume become a means of giving to many 
of our children such a clear understanding of, and genuine love 
for, the church, that they will be led to accept its Founder, Who 
Himself was the greatest friend of children, as their Lord and 
Savior. 

THE COMMITTEE. 



TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE 

For twenty years the German edition of this little book 
has served the purpose of religious instruction in the schools 
of our churches. In course of time, however, it has become 
evident that if such instruction is to continue it must be given 
in the language of our country. The Committee on Schools and 
Education of the Western District Conference therefore recom- 
mended the translation of such books as would be found helpful 
to the cause. The recommendation was received favorably by 
the Conference and, as a result, the translation of Professor 
Wedel's Sketches of Church History is now put into the hands 
of our children. 

In making the translation no effort was made to depart 
from the original text, with the exception that only in a 
few places slight changes were thought necessary. The history 
of our missions, however, was brought up to the present time. 
Likewise, brief accounts of missionary activities of other 
branches of our denomination have been added. It is hoped that 
because of this fact this little book may find a wider use than 
just within the confines of our own schools. May the book 
help to stimulate the interest in religious education, the need 
of which has become so imperative in these disturbed days. 

GUSTAV A. HAURY. 

Newton, Kansas, February, 1920. 



1. The First Centuries. 



1. INTRODUCTION, 

The Christian Church is the great institution of 
salvation which Christ has founded in order to 
further the spiritual life of his followers and to bring 
his Gospel to all the nations. Christ has founded the 
Church ; he is therefore its head, and only that person 
truly belongs to the Church who has become Christ's 
own. The Holy Spirit, however, guides the Church and 
bestows upon all believers the blessings of salvation 
won by Christ for humanity. He does this if anyone 
receives the Word of God into his heart and is obedient 
to it. Therefore we call the Word of God, or the 
preaching of the Gospel, also a means of grace. But 
the Christian receives special assurance of divine grace, 
likewise through the Holy Spirit, in the sacraments of 
the Church — baptism and the Lord's Supper. All 
those, therefore, who believe in Christ shall labor for 
him and shall tell others how good it is to become one 
of Christ's flock. Consequently, God has founded the 
Church with the purpose that through it salvation may 
be brought to all mankind. 

Besides getting a knowledge of the stories of the 
Bible, Christian young people should become ac- 
quainted with the main events of Church History; for 
it is the continuation of the history of God's 



Kingdom as it appears in the Old and the New Testa- 
ment. In Church History we find a continuous glori- 
fication of Christ and a proof of the divine origin of 
Christianity. All attacks from without by the enemies 
of the Church and all heresies from within, spread by 
false and erring Christians, could not destroy it. It 
has always grown and spread out more and more and 
has brought both temporal and spiritual blessings to 
the nations. Only there conditions became happy and 
prosperous where the people came under the influence 
and guidance of the Church. Furthermore, in Church 
History we learn to know a larger number of pious 
men who have confessed Christ in word and deed, and 
who, in many respects, may serve as examples of 
Christian life. On the other hand, we also find exam- 
ples that warn us how easy it is to go astray if one 
does not surrender himself fully to the guidance of 
the Spirit of the Lord. In consideration of such facts, 
a knowledge of Church History may bring us great 
blessings. 



2. THE APOSTLES. 

Ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Our Lord only 
began ' his work on earth ; his apostles should con- 
tinue it. In his last charge to them he appointed them 
his messengers to all nations. On the day of the first 
Pentecost he endowed them with his spirit. Now they 
could bear witness for him with joy and courage. 
Through miracles and signs they proved their divine 
mission. Yet the Jews soon began to hate and perse- 
cute them, but that only served to increase their cour- 
age. They rejoiced to suffer for their Master. 



— 8 — 

The Apostle Peter won 3000 souls to the Church 
with his sermon on the day of the first Pente- 
cost. At first he remained at Jerusalem. Afterwards 
he labored in Lydda, Joppa and Antioch, and after the 
year 50 in Asia Minor and Babylon, from where he 
wrote his first epistle. Later he came to Rome and 
there suffered death on the cross during the persecu- 
tions under Nero. 

James, a Brother of John, was the first one 
of the disciples to die a martyr's death. In the year 
44 King Herod Agrippa ordered him to be beheaded. 

James the Just probably was a brother of our 
Lord and perhaps believed in him only after his resur- 
rection. Later he became bishop of the church in 
Jerusalem and distinguished himself by a strict ob- 
servance of the Jewish law. In the year 64 the Jew- 
ish council ordered him to be taken to the pinnacle of 
the temple and demanded that he should curse Christ. 
When he refused to do this, they cast him down, and 
as he lay on the ground he prayed for his enemies. At 
last a priest killed him with a club. 

Paul was not one of the Twelve. The Lord had 
revealed himself to him in a peculiar manner near 
Damascus, and the proud Pharisee and fierce perse- 
cutor of Christians was changed into a humble servant 
of Christ. In three missionary journeys he carried 
the Gospel into Asia Minor and Greece. In the year 
61 he was brought to Rome as a prisoner and here, in 
the year 64 or 67, he was beheaded by order of Nero. 
The Roman emperor Nero had caused Rome to be set 
on fire and then charged the Christians with the act. 
In consequence, many of them were tortured in a hor- 
rible manner and killed. 



— 9 — 

John first labored together with Peter in Jeru- 
salem and Samaria. After the destruction of Jerusalem 
in the year 70, he went to Ephesus and from there 
directed the various churches in Asia Minor. He was 
then banished to the island Patmos, where he received 
the revelation and where he wrote his gospel. He is 
known as the Apostle of Love. At one time, in a cer- 
tain church, he found a handsome, noble youth whom 
he won for Christianity and committed to the care of 
the bishop. But the young man yielded himself to 
wild dissipations and finally became the chief of a band 
of robbers. When John at a later visit inquired after 
him, the bishop said with tears, "He is dead; he has 
departed from God." Then the apostle hastened into 
the mountains, permitted himself to be captured by 
the robbers and demanded to be led to their chief. 
When the youth saw the venerable apostle coming 
towards him, he was ashamed and fled. John, how- 
ever, followed him and exclaimed, "Why do you flee, 
my son? Christ has sent me to you." Then the youth 
burst into tears and willingly returned with the 
apostle. In the year 99 or 100 John died. 

The assistants of the apostles continued the work. 
Barnabas, Silas, Luke, Timothy and Titus were the 
companions of Paul. Luke v/rote the third gospel 
and the Acts of the Apostles. Timothy was or- 
dained by Paul as bishop of the church in Ephesus 
and Titus as bishop of Crete. Mark assisted both 
Paul and Peter. Besides these helpers already 
mentioned there were many others. 

Heathendom was ready for the Gospel, which on 
that account spread very rapidly. As far as 
the world was concerned, outwardly there was 



— 10 — 

peace, and because of that fact the messengers of 
Christ could travel without hindrance. Many of the 
heathen had lost faith in their gods, and the Jews, who 
were found everywhere, shed much light through the 
practice of their religion. Many of the heathen, par- 
ticularly women, regularly attended the synagogues. 
Many of these were converted, and thus the Gospel 
quickly spread. 



3. THE CONDUCT OF THE CHRISTIANS. 

A great change took place in those who renounced 
the heathen religion and became Christians. The 
heathen bowed down before lifeless idols; the Chris- 
tians worshipped God in truth and in spirit. The 
heathen thought only of themselves and their life was 
a continual chase after pleasure. The cultured Romans 
could see with a great deal of enjoyment how people 
were torn to pieces by wild beasts in the theatres and 
they treated their slaves with great cruelty. They had 
no compassion for the poor and the sick and none for 
little children and widows. The Christians did not go 
to the theatres ; to help the suffering and the poor was 
their delight. Quietly and humbly they went their own 
ways. They loved even their enemies. 

The churches had a simple organization- At the 
head stood the bishops and the elders, who preached 
and taught. Next to them were the deacons, who 
took care of the poor. There were also deaconesses 
to nurse the sick. They were all united by the holy 
ties of love in such a manner that the heathen often 
exclaimed, "See how they love one another." 



— 11 — 



The meetings were soon generally held on 
Sunday, because on that day the Lord rose from the 
dead. On that day they prayed while standing and 
at other times mostly while on their knees. They met 
in private houses, and in times of persecution often at 
night, in caves and in forests. In their meetings they 
sang and prayed, explained the Holy Scriptures and 
frequently celebrated the Lord's Supper, before which, 
however, they had what they called a love feast, for 
which each 0113 brought something from home. Then 
the rich ate of the bread of the poor and the poor 
slave partook of the fare of the rich brother. During 
the meal they conversed about holy things. 

Baptism was administered only upon those that 
had experienced a change within. If anyone conduct- 
ed himself in a manner unworthy of his confession, 
the church exercised strict discipline. Notorious sin- 
ners and such that denied Christ in persecution were 
excluded from the church. 

Some Christian festivals were instituted quite 
early. The first was Epiphany as the day of 
the heathen and the baptism of Christ. Then came 
Easter and Pentecost. Christmas began to be cele- 
brated at a later time. 

Prayer was regarded as very important among 
the early Christians. They called it the taking of 
breath of the spiritual man. It was the soul of the 
Christian life and the rampart of faith. Their special 
times of prayer were in the morning and in the eve- 
ning and when they sat down at meals. Thus their 
life was a serious one and yet joyful because they 
had peace in their hearts and had consecrated them- 
selves to God. 



— 12 — 
4. PERSECUTIONS. 

Causes. The Jews from the very beginning 
were hostile towards the Christians. When the Chris- 
tians began to increase everywhere, the heathen also 
began to hate them. Their clean and blameless lives 
condemned the wicked ways of the heathen. These 
then invented all kinds of stories about them and said 
that the Christians practiced shameful vices at their 
meetings. Because they would not worship any idols, 
their enemies asserted that they had no religion at all. 
Above all, the priests accused them that they aroused 
the anger of the gods. When an earthquake or a fam- 
ine took place, or when the Nile in Egypt did not flood 
the fields sufficiently, the people said, "The Christians 
are the cause of it. To the lions with the Christians." 
But the educated classes saw in Christianity a dan- 
gerous superstition which should be punished with 
death. The emperors, on the other hand, feared that 
the Christian religion would destroy the unity of the 
empire, especially since many of the Christians re- 
fused to perform military service. When they also 
refused to regard the emperors as gods and to burn 
incense before them, they were persecuted. 

Chief Persecutions. The Roman emperor Nero 
(37-68) was the first one to persecute the Chris- 
tians. Domitian (81-96) heard that relatives of Jesus 
were still to be found in Palestine and he directed that 
they should be brought to him. But when he saw 
their calloused hands, a condition indicating hard 
labor, he dismissed them with contempt, saying that 
from such people no danger to his crown need be 
feared. He nevertheless caused the Christians to be 
persecuted. Trajan (98-117) decreed that if anyone 



— 13 — 

became a Christian, it should be regarded as an act of 
treason. Marcus Aurelius (161-180) issued an order 
that anyone who informed against a Christian should 
get a part of his property as a reward. Decius (249- 
251) caused a severe persecution and ordered that the 
teachers especially should be taken. The severest per- 
secution, however, took place under Diocletian (284 
305). By his orders all bibles were to be given up, 
churches were torn down, entire villages were set on 
fire and many Christians burned. 

In Confessing Their Master the Christians showed 
showed great courage. They suffered horrible tor- 
tures; they were tormented on red-hot chairs; they 
were sent to the mines to work and were left to perish ; 
they were thrown before wild beasts or burned at the 
stake. A few denied their Lord, but the most of them 
remained steadfast, even children, weak girls and 
women. This made a deep impression upon many of 
the heathen, especially when some Christians, even in 
their dying moments, prayed for their enemies. The 
blood of the martyrs became the seed of the Church, 
and many unbelievers were turned to Christ on the 
place of execution. 



5. MARTYRS. 

Ignatius was one of the many who suffered 
death because of their belief and on that account were 
called martyrs ; that is, witnesses. He was the bishop 
of Antioch and had been a disciple of the Apostle John. 
Emperor Trajan during his travels also came to An- 
tioch and ordered Ignatius to be brought before him. 



— 14 — 

"Who art thou, wicked Christian, that thou darest re- 
sist my laws?" cried the emperor. But Ignatius spoke 
freely and boldly of Christ, his crucified Lord, to whom 
he devoted his life. The emperor then commanded 
that he should be brought to Rome and there thrown 
to the wild beasts. The old man endured the hardships 
of the journey with great fortitude. "I am a grain of 
wheat," he said, "and I must be ground between the 
teeth of the wild beasts that I may prove to be the 
pure bread." In the arena he did not look at the ani- 
mals but directed his eyes towards heaven and prayed 
until he was torn by the beasts. This happened in the 
year 107. 

Polycarp, also a disciple of John, was bishop 
at Smyrna and in 167 died a martyr's death. Here, 
during the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, a 
severe persecution broke out and the rabble demanded 
the death of the venerable bishop. They finally found 
him at a country home, to which some friends had 
brought him for safety. Calmly and cheerfully he said 
that something to eat and drink should be given to his 
captors, and as they ate he sought strength in prayer. 
On his way to the place of execution officers of the 
emperor took him into their carriage and advised him 
to deny Christ to save his life. But when he refused 
to do this he was thrown out of the carriage and suf- 
fered severe injuries. The governor also said, "Curse 
Christ and I will let you go." The bishop, however, 
replied, "I have served my Lord eighty-six years ; how 
could I curse my King, who has redeemed me." He 
was frightened neither by the wild beasts nor by the 
fire, and the angry mob fiercely demanded his death. 
At last he was placed on a pile of wood to be burned 



— 15 — 

and he prayed, "I thank thee, God, that thou permittest 
me to be counted among thy witnesses and to partake 
of the cup of thy Christ." When the flames did not 
immediately reach him, the executioner approached 
and pierced him with a weapon. 

In Vienne and Lyons, in Southern France, 
the aged bishop Pothinus, who was past his nine- 
tieth year, was taken before the magistrate. He asked 
the bishop who was the god of the Christians. The 
aged man replied, "If thou art worthy, thou wilt learn 
it." Without further ado he was dragged by his feet 
to prison, where he died in two days in consequence of 
his brutal treatment. A young female slave, Blan- 
dina by name, was cruelly tortured. They tried to 
make her confess that the things of which the heathen 
accused the Christians were true. They said, for in- 
stance, that the Christians in their meetings ate the 
flesh of little children and that they practiced other 
wicked things. But they could force no other con- 
fession from her than this: "I am a Christian; among 
us no evil is done." She was roasted on a red-hot 
chair, but she remained true to her faith. Finally she 
was put into a net and thrown before a fierce bull, 
which killed her with his horns. 

Perpetua was the daughter of a nobleman in 
Carthage. Because of her intercourse with Christians 
she was thrown into prison, where she was baptized. 
Her young child was taken away from her, yet she 
remained firm. Her aged father fell down on his 
knees before her and entreated her to pity him and to 
renounce her faith. She, however, remained unmoved, 
and, in the year 200, was thrown before a wild cow and 
was killed. 



— 16 — 

Pionius was a presbyter, or elder, in Smyrna. 
During the persecution under Decius he was also 
taken and brought before the magistrate, who demand- 
ed that he should sacrifice to the gods. Some of the 
Christians had already done so, among them even a 
bishop. But Pionius defended his faith with such 
skill that the people exclaimed, "Pionius, thou art 
worthy to live, and life is sweet. Be persuaded to re- 
nounce thy faith and sacrifice to the gods." But when 
he refused they nailed him to a stake to burn him. 
Then the magistrate said that the nails could still be 
drawn out if he should change his mind. But Pionius 
replied, "I have felt them," and joyfully suffered 
death. 



6. NOTED TEACHERS. 

Justin. Among the men who in these times 
were a particular blessing to the Church, who in their 
writings defended the Christian religion and who as 
teachers and bishops watched over the doctrine and 
conduct of the churches, Justin, also called Justin 
Martyr, occupied a prominent position. He was born 
at ancient Sichem. In his youth he had the opportun- 
ity to admire the courage with which the Christians 
confessed their faith and suffered the cruelties inflict- 
ed upon them by the Jews, who had revolted against 
the Roman emperor and thereby got the chance to 
vent their spite on the Christians. Later he studied 
philosophy under various teachers, but he was not 
satisfied because he did not find with them the true 
knowledge. He felt a longing for peace with God, and 
this no learning can satisfy. Once, while on a lonely 



— 17 — 

walk near the sea, he met an old man, who pointed 
out to him the way to Christ. Justin now read the 
Holy Scriptures and was converted to the Lord. He 
became a teacher and wrote several treatises in which 
he showed the heathen how unjust it was to persecute 
the Christians. He was called the Christian in the 
philosopher's mantle. In the year 163 he was put to 
death in Rome by order of Marcus Aurelius. 

Tertullian was a serious-minded and gifted 
bishop at Carthage. In his youth he led a dissipated 
life and was educated as a lawyer. Soon after his 
conversion he was elected bishop. At that time the 
Church enjoyed a rest from persecution, consequently 
many were found who were Christians only in name. 
Some were drawn into sinful amusements; they at- 
tended the games at the theaters ; they became slaves 
to beautiful clothes and an extravagant mode of life. 
Tertullian vigorously attacked these evil tendencies 
and reminded the people that on any day a persecution 
might break out ,and asked whether they would then 
be willing to put upon the block the neck which they 
were now adorning w r ith pearls. He also exercised 
strict church discipline and would admit no one whom 
he had once excluded. In various writings he pointed 
out to the heathen that Christianity offered to them 
what they had been longing for in their hearts and 
that only with Christ they could find peace. He re- 
garded military service as decidedly wrong and was 
against infant baptism, which began to be practiced 
at that time. He died in the year 220 after a life of 
great usefulness. 

Cyprian also was a noted bishop of Carthage. 
Before his conversion he had been a teacher of rhetor- 



— 18 — 

ic. When he became a Christian, he gave all his 
worldly goods to the poor that he might the better 
serve Christ. Soon after, the church elected him 
bishop, and when the persecutions broke out under 
Decius, he proved to be a man of strong faith and 
honor in his position. Many of those belonging to his 
church denied Christ and were excluded by him from 
membership. He was unwearied in his attention to 
the sick and the poor. Finally he was also seized and 
when he refused to sacrifice to the gods he was im- 
mediately condemned to death. Many followed him 
on his way to execution and cried, "We want to die 
with our bishop/' In the year 258 he was beheaded. 

Origen of Alexandria showed such great piety 
already in his childhood that his father, Leonidas, re- 
garded his breast as the temple of the Holy Spirit. 
When his father was thrown into prison, Origen 
wanted to die with him for Christ. His mother could 
keep him back only by hiding his clothes. Leonidas 
was executed and left his family in great poverty. 
Origen, however, soon was able to care for the family, 
since he became a teacher in a Christian school which 
flourished in Alexandria and was attended by many 
pupils. He wrote many books, of which a few still 
exist. The envy of his bishop drove him out of Alex- 
andria and he went to Caesarea in Palestine, where 
he also had many pupils. He even corresponded with 
the Roman empress regarding the teachings of Chris- 
tianity. During the persecution under Decius he suf- 
fered cruel tortures in consequence of which he died 
in 254. 



— 19 — 

7. CONSTANTINE THE GREAT. 

His Victories. Diocletian had associated with 
himself several men who were to rule over certain dis- 
tricts of the vast Roman empire. Among these were 
Constantius in the West and Galerius in the East. The 
latter caused the Christians to be cruelly persecuted, 
while the former left them in peace. He said that such 
people who were faithful to their god would also be 
faithful to their emperor. In the year 306 he was 
followed by his son Constantine, afterwards called the 
Great, who continued his father's policy towards the 
Christians. Between him and a rival emperor a de- 
cisive battle was fought near Rome. Before the battle 
he is said to have seen a cross in the afternoon sky 
with this inscription: "In this sign you will conquer." 
He also related that Christ had appeared to him in the 
night and commanded him to adopt the standard of 
the cross. Under this standard he then won a com- 
plete victory in the year 312, and after this he became 
the distinct champion of Christianity. Later he de- 
feated Licinius, his co-regent in the East, who fiercely 
hated the Christians. As a result, Constantine became 
ruler of the whole Roman empire. 

In 323 Constantine made Christianity the state 
religion. The most important offices were given to 
Christians, and the emperor's sons were educated by 
bishops. The bishops obtained the income and the 
privileges of the heathen priests and were almost over- 
whelmed with honors. The emperor built many 
churches at his own expense and ordered fifty copies 
of the Bible to be made and distributed among the 
churches. His mother, Helena, journeyed to Jerusalem 
and there built a church over the supposed sepulchre 
of Christ. 



— 20 — 

In order not to be obliged to live in the heathenish 
city of Rome, Constantine built a new city and called 
it Constantinople, and in this city he permitted only 
the Christian religion. Through his influence a great 
change came about. The heathen religion lost its 
power and Christian ideas began to prevail everywhere. 
The Council of Nicea was a conference of bishops 
who met in the year 325 at the request of 
Constantine in order to decide an important question 
that had arisen in the Church. Arius, a presbyter of 
Alexandria, taught that Christ was created by the 
Father and was only of a like essence with Him. The 
venerable bishops, however, many of whom bore the 
scars of torture on their bodies, rejected his doctrine 
and declared that Christ is truly born as God and not 
created, and therefore is of the same essence with the 
Father. 

Constantine died in 337. Not until he lay on 
on his deathbed, however, was he baptized by Bishop 
Eusebius; for he was of the opinion that sins com- 
mitted after baptism were greater than those com- 
mitted before. After he was baptized he refused to 
wear his mantle of purple. His life was far from 
blameless, since he was unable to control his passions. 
Yet, in spite of his blemishes, he showed that Chris- 
tianity was a serious matter with him. 



8. THE CHURCH FATHERS. 

Chrysostom. The most noted bishops of the 
Primitive Church are called the Church Fathers. 
Among the foremost to be mentioned is John Chrysos- 



— 21 — 

torn. He was born in Antioch. His pious mother, 
Anthusa, led him to Christ in the early days of his 
youth. She sent him to the heathen schools, yet, due 
to her prayers and his own religious inclination, he re- 
mained an earnest Christian. The church called him 
to preach and he soon developed such ability as a 
speaker that he was called Chrysostomus, "the golden- 
mouthed one," Because of his eloquence he was called 
as bishop to Constantinople, where the descendents of 
Constantine were in power. One of these, Julian, had 
made an effort to reinstate the heathen religion and 
failed, and not long afterwards, in the year 363, he 
was killed in a war with the Persians. When Chry- 
sostom entered upon his duties as bishop, the emperor 
that ruled then, outwardly confessed Christ, but at his 
court luxury and heathenish vices prevailed. The em- 
press especially was devoted to pleasure and vanity. 
Chrysostom sternly rebuked the sins of the court and 
insisted on a consecrated life. He even declared against 
military service and the oath. All this aroused the 
hatred of the courtiers against him and, above all, the 
queen demanded his banishment. Even some envious 
bishops desired his removal, and he was at last ban- 
ished to the Caucasus, where he died in 407 with the 
words: "God be praised for everything." 

Ambrose (340-397) was an imperial magistrate 
at Milan when the bishop of the church there died. 
The people came together to elect a new bishop and 
Ambrose also appeared to keep order. Suddenly a child 
exclaimed, "Ambrose must become bishop," and the 
whole assembly immediately joined in the cry and 
greeted him as bishop. In astonishment he declared 
that although he was a Christian at heart he had not 



— 22 — 

yet been baptized. But that did not matter to the 
people and they insisted that he should accept the 
office. He then became a member of the church and 
entered upon the duties of his office with great zeal. 
In order to prepare himself, he devoted even a part of 
the night to the study of the Holy Scriptures. The 
golden vessels used in communion he sold and replaced 
them with inexpensive ones and the money realized 
from the sale he employed to ransom prisoners. His 
private fortune he gave to the poor. In church disci- 
pline he was very strict; he compelled even the em- 
peror Theodosius to do penance in public. In 397 he 
died after a comparatively short activity, yet through 
the influence of his life and work he was a great bless- 
ing to the entire West. 

Augustine (354-430) was the most distin- 
guished teacher of the Church. He was born in 354 
at Tagaste in North Africa. His mother, Monica, was 
a very pious woman and in his early days had conse- 
crated him to God. His father, however, was a pagan 
and had different plans for his son. As Augustine 
proved to be a talented boy, his father sent him to the 
best schools. So in his seventeenth year he attended 
the school at Carthage and advanced rapidly in the 
study of grammar and rhetoric. But in his private 
life he was not at all exemplary, for he fell into griev- 
ous sins and vices. His pious mother, with her heart 
full of sorrow, almost gave up hope, but her bishop 
consoled her and said that a son of so many tears 
could not be lost. Augustine himself came to the con- 
clusion that he could not continue in his evil ways. 
Then, instead of turning directly to Christ, he permit- 
ted himself to be drawn into the delusions of the 



— 23 — 

Manichean doctrine, which greatly appealed to him. In 
order to get more money and honor as a teacher of 
rhetoric, he went first to Rome and then to Milan, in 
spite of the entreaties of his mother. At the latter 
place he was attracted by the eloquence of Ambrose, 
whom he heard quite often. Finally the moment came 
when he made his decision for Christ. Once, when he 
was praying in the solitude of a garden, he heard the 
voice of a child exclaim, "Take and read." He then 
opened the Bible and found the passage in Romans 
13:13, 14, which pointed out the way that he must go 
in order to be delivered from the servitude of sin. He 
returned to Africa, and after a few years of quiet re- 
tirement he w r as chosen first as priest and then as 
bishop by the church at Hippo. The duties of this 
office he performed with great faithfulness. He vig- 
orously contested the doctrine of Pelagius, who taught 
that man was born without sin and that Christ was 
not the redeemer, but only an ideal man. Yet he him- 
self was also guilty of some errors; for instance, he 
declared that all unbaptized children were lost, and 
for that reason insisted on infant baptism. In the 
year 430 he died, during the time when Hippo was be- 
sieged by the Vandals. 



II. The Middle Ages. 



9. ERRORS. 



Doctrinal Errors. Together with the change 
of the external conditions of the Church there also 



— 24 — 

came about a change from within. Instead of insist- 
ing upon an experience of the grace of God in the 
heart, they put great stress upon mere confession. At 
their church councils they quarreled in the most dis- 
graceful manner over theological questions, such as, 
whether Christ had two wills or not, frequently em- 
phasizing their arguments with their fists. The worst, 
however, was that the decisions of these councils were 
accepted as the laws of the state and anyone that did 
not agree with them was regarded as a criminal. Pub- 
lic worship, in its outward form, became very elabor- 
ate; candles were lighted, incense was burned, and 
pictures of Christ and the Virgin Mary were hung on 
walls and pillars. First the people prayed before the 
pictures, but soon worshipped them as divine, and thus 
a new paganism arose in the Church. Infant baptism 
was introduced because they declared that it was nec- 
essary for salvation. 

The Bishops did not remain what they should 
have been; namely, shepherds of the Church and also 
brethren in them. In quite early times they were 
honored in such a manner that they rose to the rank 
of the nobility. In their own circles different grades of 
rank developed so that some were subordinate to 
others. The presbyters and deacons no longer were 
their fellow workers but were regarded as their ser- 
vants. The question now arose who of the bishops 
should be the first one and should exercise authority 
over the others. In the West the bishop of Rome be- 
gan to be regarded as superior in rank and was soon 
called Pope, that is, Papa. In the East, the bishops of 
Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem, etc., took first 
place and were called patriarchs. Their quarrels often 



-C 



— 25 — 

indicated that the care for the spiritual welfare was 
not the main issue with them, but rather the desire 
for wealth and honor. 

The private life of the Christians now also began 
to change and conform to the world. Although 
the people still went to church, they also attended the 
shows in the amphitheater and took part in many 
pagan amusements. Many who went by the name of 
Christians were guilty of lying, cheating and abomin- 
able vices. No church discipline was exercised any- 
more and with many Christianity was only a name. 

Monasticism, In order to escape from persecution, 
a Christian youth, Paulus by name, in the year 250 
fled from Thebes in Egypt into the desert and re- 
mained there in solitude until his death. Soon others 
followed his example and thought that such a secluded 
life was a better service to God than to engage in 
some calling in the midst of the people. Very promi- 
nent as a hermit was Anthony, also of Thebes. About 
the year 270 he built a wall around the huts of a num- 
ber of such hermits. This enclosed place was then 
called a cloister and the inmates of it monks. In a 
short time hundreds of such cloisters came into exist- 
ence in Egypt, Syria and other places. While many 
chose such a life with good intentions, the majority 
had the mistaken idea that they could earn their sal- 
vation most easily in that manner. 



10. EARLY REFORMERS. 

Priscillian. The very fact that such errors 
were opposed by pious men who earnestly and firmly 



— 26 — 

engaged to retain the simplicity and faith of the 
Primitive Church, was a proof of the divine origin of 
Christianity. Among these men we note especially 
a noble and rich, yet pious and zealous, layman named 
Priscillian, who lived in Spain in the fourth century. 
He conducted meetings in his own house with such 
success and blessings that many looked upon him as 
their spiritual leader. He and his followers intended 
to serve the Lord as the first Christians had done. 
They strongly opposed the authority of the bishops 
and lamented the worldly life of the Christians and 
the lack of Church discipline. They placed great em- 
phasis on baptism administered on the confession of 
faith, and believed that the Holy Spirit dwelt also 
among the lay members of the church, not only among 
the clergy. They demanded and themselves practiced 
a holy life. In consequence, they soon had to suffer 
much sorrow and distress and were accused of being 
the worst of sinners and teachers of false doctrine. 
Even the bishop brought a charge against them before 
the emperor, who then sanctioned their punishment 
with death. Priscillian himself suffered death in 385 
at Treves, but his followers were known for several 
centuries. This was the first case that the Church 
punished such with death who had departed from the 
accepted order and teachings. Many bishops were in- 
dignant at this outrage and declared that it was a dis- 
grace to the Church. Their protest, however, was 
soon forgotten. 

Claudius of Turin lived in the ninth century. 
In that part of Italy the bishop of Rome had very little 
influence and therefore a purer form of worship could 
develop. Claudius took a stand against a number of 



— 27 — 

errors common at that time. In regard to the super- 
stitious veneration of the cross he said that if they 
wanted to worship the cross, they ought also to wor- 
ship the manger because Christ had lain in it, and the 
ass because he had ridden on it. In reply to the de- 
mands of the Roman bishop he said, "Not he is apos- 
tolic who sits in the apostles' chair, but he who fol- 
lows them in an apostolic life." Just as firmly he de- 
clared against the superstitious worship of the bones 
of the saints; that is, of the martyrs and other pious 
Christians. He died in 839. 

Small Communities, in addition to these noted 
men, were also found which separated from the 
Church and practiced a simple worship without the 
splendor usual at that time. In the North of Africa, 
in Mesopotamia, and in Bulgaria, they flourished and 
quietly lived faithful to their belief. Especially in the 
mountains west of Turin, many remained faithful to 
the teachings of Claudius and even spread them in the 
South of France. 



11. THE ISLAM. 

Mohammed. The Lord permitted the Islam to 
arise in the seventh century as a scourge of Christian- 
ity. Its founder was Mohammed, born at Mecca in 
southern Arabia. In his younger years he was a mer- 
chant, and on his long journeys he learned to know the 
various religions of the Orient. Being himself of a 
meditative mind, he withdrew from active life and for 
some time lived in a cave. When he was forty years 
of age he suddenly appeared and declared that the 
angel Gabriel had come to him and ordered him to 



— 28 — 

found a new religion, of which the leading theme 
should be, "There is one God and Mohammed is his 
prophet." At the beginning, only his wife and a 
nephew believed in him. The people of Mecca abused 
him, and to save his life he fled to Medina. From this 
flight, called the Hegira, in the year 622, the Moham- 
medans reckon their time. By his eloquence he won 
many followers and filled them with such enthusiasm 
that they were ready to fight for him. In battle he 
defeated his enemies and in a few years conquered 
entire Arabia. In 632, just as he was getting ready 
to extend his conquests to all the surrounding coun- 
tries, death made an end to his ambitious plans. It 
is said that one of his wives, a Jewess, offered him 
poisoned meat in order to find out whether or not he 
was mortal. 

His doctrine is a peculiar mixture of heathen, 
Jewish and Christian ideas. He denied the Trinity. 
Moses and Christ were great prophets, but he was 
greater than they. He rejected all images, even the 
pictures in the Christian church. His followers were 
not allowed to eat pork and to drink wine, but they 
might have more wives than one. He himself had 
seventeen. Although his life in general was unworthy 
of an ambassador of God, he nevertheless convinced 
his followers that all his teachings were received in a 
direct revelation from God. He laid great stress upon 
prayer. Five times a day a Mohammedan is required 
to pray with his head turned towards Mecca. Fasting 
and the giving of alms are also regarded as very com- 
mendable. But the highest degree of bliss can be at- 
tained by killing enemies in battle and by dying for 
the faith. Death, he said, was fore- ordained for a cer- 



tain time, whether one is in battle or at home with 
friends. The sayings of Mohammed have been gath- 
ered into a book called the Koran, which his followers 
regard as holy as we do the Bible. The Islam, for so 
did Mohammed call his faith, does not demand a re- 
generation of the heart; nor does it recognize sin and 
grace; for the troubles and sorrows of life it has no 
solace. The entire religion finds expression in outward 
ceremonies. 

The progress of Islam was very rapid. The suc- 
cessors of Mohammed, called caliphs, in a few 
years conquered Persia, Palestine, Asia Minor, Egypt, 
North Africa and Spain. Everywhere they took the 
crosses off the churches and replaced them with the 
crescent. Many Christians, under severe oppression, 
remained faithful to their belief, yet the majority 
denied it and accepted Mohammedanism. The churches 
of Asia Minor and North Africa, once in a flourishing 
condition, had lost their savor and they were cast out. 
In the beginning of the eighth century the caliphs with 
their armies passed over into Spain and invaded 
southern France, but there they were halted and in 
732 suffered a total defeat. 



12. THE GOSPEL IN GERMANY. 

Early beginnings. Already during the time 
of the Roman conquests flourishing Christian churches 
had come into existence in western and southern Ger- 
many through Christian soldiers in the Roman army. 
The majority of these, however, disappeared during 
the disturbances brought about by the migration of 
nations. This movement began by the invasion of the 



— 30 — 

Huns, a fierce tribe, who came from the interior of 
Asia and overran the East of Europe in 375. The 
German tribes were thrown into confusion and much 
of Christian civilization was lost. Before the migra- 
tion of nations, the Goths lived in southern Russia, and 
among them Ulfilas labored as missionary and bishop 
with a great deal of success. He translated the Scrip- 
tures into the Gothic language and therefore may be 
called the father of Teutonic literature. 

The first Missionaries in Germany proper came 
from England. Christianity had found entrance 
into the latter country even in the first century, but 
was destroyed by the invasion of German tribes, the 
Angles and the Saxons. In 590 Pope Gregory the 
Great sent missionaries to England. Through their 
efforts Christianity soon spread over the whole land 
and was carried thence into other countries. In the 
year 600, Columban, an Irish monk, with twelve com- 
panions, came to southern Germany. His foremost 
disciple. Gallus, founded the renowned cloister of St. 
Gall in Switzerland. In Thuringia and Bavaria Em- 
meran and Kilian did successful missionary work, the 
latter of whom suffered a martyr's death. 

The Frisians were christianized by Willibrord, 
who came from England with eleven assistants. At 
first they were persecuted by King Radbod, who killed 
one of them and compelled the rest to flee. But they 
soon returned and preached with greater earnestness 
and better success than before. Utrecht became the 
center of their activity. There they would come to- 
gether in winter and seek strength in the study of the 
Scriptures and in prayer. During the summer they 
journeyed through the land, preached the Gospel and 



o± 

converted many to Christ. Even the king presented 
himself for baptism. But when he was in the water 
with one foot, he stopped and asked whether his an- 
cestors were in heaven or in hell. The reply was 
given that they could not be in heaven, since they had 
not believed in Christ. He then refused to be baptized 
because in the other world he wanted to be together 
with his forefathers. 

The two Ewalds, the black and the white, 
preached the Gospel in what is now Westphalia among 
the Saxons. The Saxons, however, were strongly at- 
tached to their heathen gods and murdered the mis- 
sionaries. In the mountainous country south of 
Cologne Switbertus labored with great success until 
his death in 717. All these missionaries founded 
monasteries as a protection and support of Chris- 
tianity. 

Boniface, also known as Winifred, came from 
England to preach the Gospel to the German tribes. 
As he was the most noted missionary among them, 
he is called the apostle of the Germans. In the be- 
ginning he was in Frisia together with Willibrord, but 
soon went to Rome to be ordained by the pope. By 
this act he brought the German Church into a harm- 
ful connection with Rome; for soon after all other 
missionaries, likewise the monasteries, had to submit 
to the pope. Boniface was very zealous in his work 
in Hesse as is shown by the following incident. Near 
Geismar stood an ancient oak, which was sacred to 
Thor, the god of thunder. It was the popular belief 
that if any one touched the sacred oak, he would die. 
Boniface said that he would cut it down without suf- 
fering any harm. In the presence of a large number 



— 32 — 

of pagans he then proceeded to cut down the oak, and 
as nothing happened to him the ban was broken. Later 
the pope made him archbishop of Mainz, but he went 
back to Frisia where he had begun his missionary 
work. Here, after a short time, he was slain by the 
heathen in the year 753. Hjs companions wanted to 
defend him, but he did not permit it and died with the 
book of the Gospels in his hand. 

Charlemagne, a Frankish king, who was crowned 
as Roman emperor, had the ambition of unit- 
ing all German tribes under his rule and to spread 
Christian culture among them. It is to be regretted, 
however, that he thought it necessary to employ force 
to accomplish his purpose. Thus, after a war of 
thirty-three years' duration, he forced the Saxons to 
accept Christianity. In other respects he proved to 
be a wise and mild ruler. He founded many schools 
and monasteries, invited learned men from other coun- 
tries, and ordered books to be written and collections 
of sermons to be made. In a controversy with the 
pope he decided that pictures should not be wor- 
shipped. He died in 814. 



13. PAPACY. 

Origin. Among the Roman bishops, who were 
known as popes, there were pious and capable men 
who used their influence for the welfare of the Church. 
Leo the Great (440-461), for instance, induced Attila, 
the king of the Huns, not to invade Italy. Gregory 
the Great put the organization of the Church at home 
upon a firm basis and sent missionaries to England. 
If the popes had remained spiritual leaders only, their 



— 33 — 

rule would not have been so harmful. The real papacy, 
as it was known later, had its origin in the fact that 
in the eighth century the popes received grants of 
land and established a worldly kingdom. In a short 
time they got control over the greater part of Italy. 
They kept a large number of servants about them and 
had a well-trained army at their command. In Rome 
unscrupulous parties were formed through whose in- 
fluence dissolute persons occupied the papal throne. 
Several times the German emperor came to Italy, de- 
throned the evil pope and put a better one in his place. 

Gregory VII (1073-1085), through his ability 
and his morally clean life, brought papacy into honor 
again and attained for it a high degree of power. He 
asserted that the apostle Peter, according to Matth. 
16:18, was appointed by the Lord to be the head of 
the Church. Upon that authority he founded the 
Church at Rome and was its bishop for twenty-five 
years. Therefore the popes are his successors and are 
to be regarded as the vicars of Christ on earth. Their 
authority is above that of all princes and kings. Just 
as the moon receives its light from the sun, so the 
kings and emperors are dependent upon the pope. He 
is their superior and to his decisions they must yield. 
To resist him is to resist God. All lands must pay 
him tribute — known by the name of Peter's Pence. 
The German emperor Henry IV dared to resist him, 
but was compelled to make a journey to Italy in the 
midst of winter and implore his mercy. Gregory did 
not permit the priests to marry and threatened to put 
under the ban anyone that received the investiture, 
that is, the right to preach, from some one else than 
him. 



— 34 — 

The political power of the popes reached its 
climax under Innocent III (1198-1216). He claimed 
authority not only over the Church but also over the 
State. The English king, John, received his kingdom 
as a fief from the pope, and the German emperor 
meekly held the stirrup when the pope mounted his 
horse. His legates were found in all countries, and 
everywhere money was collected for him. At his court, 
splendor and luxury prevailed to a high degree and 
there was no sign of Christian humility and gentleness. 

Hatred against true Christianity revealed the real 
nature of papacy. Wherever any simple, quiet and 
biblical Christianity was found it was crushed with 
the greatest severity. The result was that the people 
began to believe more in the pope than in Christ. 
The pope, instead of Christ, was regarded as the one 
through whose mediation salvation could be obtained. 
No wonder that the truly pious people of that time 
looked upon papacy as the Beast from the abyss and 
upon the pope as the Antichrist. 



14. THE CRUSADES. 

Causes of the Crusades, The land in which 
Jesus walked about, in which he performed his 
deeds of love, and in which he died on the cross for the 
sins of the world, has always been a land of the great- 
est importance to Christians. Many devout people 
made pilgrimages to the sacred places that they might 
pray there in quiet devotion. But as the Church be- 
gan more and more to lay stress upon works, a pil- 
grimage to the Holy Land came to be regarded as an 



— 35 — 

act of special merit. A prayer at the Holy Sepulchre 
was throught to be more helpful than a quiet godly life 
at home. For that reason the number of pilgrims in- 
creased from year to year, and as long as Palestine 
was under the rule of the Saracen caliphs, they suf- 
fered little interference. But when, in the 11th cen- 
tury, the fierce Turks conquered the Holy Land, the 
pilgrims were cruelly treated by them. After their 
return home they would complain bitterly of the fact 
that the most sacred places on earth were in the hands 
of unbelievers and that these made an undisturbed 
prayer at the sepulchre of Christ impossible. One of 
these pilgrims, Peter of Amiens, also called Peter the 
Hermit, described the conditions prevailing there with 
such vividness that the pope was induced to call two 
church councils at which plans were considered how 
to wrest the Holy Land out of the hands of the Turks. 
By the eloquence of Peter the whole assembly was 
carried along and the people cried as with one voice, 
"God wills it," and then and there they determined 
to rescue Palestine by force of arms. 

The first Crusade started in the year 1096. 
All those that took part fastened a red cross on their 
shoulder, and from this fact the movement received 
its name. The pope promised every crusader remission 
of sins and salvation. Peter the Hermit with a dis- 
orderly mob started first, but came only to Asia 
Minor, where the majority perished. Not until the 
summer of 1099 did the army of the crusaders proper 
get to Jerusalem. The city was captured after a bit- 
ter fight and with the slaughter of thousands on both 
sides. A Christian kingdom was organized and God- 
frey of Bouillon was chosen king. He, however, re- 



— 36 — 

fused to wear a royal crown where Jesus had worn a 
crown of thorns. For the protection of the Holy City 
various orders of knighthood were founded, such as 
the Knights Templars and the Knights of St. John, 
or Hospitallers, who made it their duty to take care 
of the sick. 

Further Crusades were necessary to main- 
tain the new kingdom, since it was subject to frequent 
attacks by its enemies. In 1147 the second crusade 
took place and in 1189 the third. Altogether there 
were seven crusades, of which the majority accom- 
plished very little, mostly because of the want of 
harmony among the leaders. The Turks, moreover, 
had won Jerusalem again in 1187, and in 1291 Acco, 
the last city held by the Christians, also fell into their 
hands. Thus ended the crusades, born of piety, fanati- 
cism, and a spirit of adventure. 

The effects of the Crusades were seen in a wider 
knowledge of the Orient, in the increase of the power 
of the pope, and in the superstition with which 
the bones of saints and other relics were wor- 
shipped. The saddest result, however, was that the 
people began to believe it was a service acceptable to 
God to kill infidels and that it was right to spread 
Christianity with the sword. Furthermore, the pope 
found it possible to organize crusades against such as 
did not agree with his opinion or opposed him in his 
views. 



15. THE DARK AGES. 
The time between the 10th and the 15th centuries 



— 37 — 

is known as the Dark Ages. So many errors and 
abuses had crept into the Church and conditions were 
such that almost no resemblance to the Primitive 
Church could be found. 

The Bible was known to very few. Rarely did 
anyone study the language in which the Bible was 
originally written. The majority of the priests could 
neither read nor write. They memorized a few pas- 
sages out of the gospels and a few other books, and 
that was all they knew. No sermons were delivered 
during the church services, only legends about the 
saints were related. Everywhere the services were 
held in Latin and the people understood practically 
nothing of what was said. In most cases only mass 
was read, in which the congregaion took no part. 

The worship of the saints took the form of a 
pronounced heathenism. In all churches and chapels 
there were relics of them and these relics were sup- 
posed to perform miracles. Christians that had 
done more good works than were absolutely necessary 
for salvation were regarded as saints. Therefore the 
people prayed to them and celebrated festivals in their 
honor. The Virgin Mary, above all, was regarded as 
the Queen of Heaven and was believed to have been 
without sin. On that account people were taught to 
believe that through her salvation could be obtained 
and as special honor they always kept candles burning 
before her pictures. 

The priests formed a class quite distinct from 
the laity. All sins had to be confessed to them and 
only those sins that had been confessed could be for- 
given. They said that in the mass Christ was sacri- 
ficed anew by the priests. When communion was ob- 



— 38 — 

served, the laity received only the bread but not the 
cup because they might spill some of the wine. The 
priests taught that by their blessing the bread and 
the wine were changed into the body and the blood of 
Christ. The Church was altogether under the domina- 
tion of the priests, and whether anyone would be 
saved depended upon them ; yet they themselves often 
led very shameful lives. 

Through good works anyone could earn salvation. 
He who would find rest for his soul was told by the 
priests to bring a certain number of candles for the 
Virgin Mary or to make a present to the Church. A 
pilgrimage to some chapel or to Rome was very help- 
ful; likewise, to fast, to scourge one's self, to say 
many prayers, and to take part in a crusade. Those 
that had died might be released from purgatory by 
reading mass for them, not, however, without paying 
the priests liberally for their services. Piety had be- 
come a mere business proposition. 

Hatred of true Christianity was one of the saddest 
signs of these dark days. Whoever departed from the 
teachings of the Church, or would not recognize the 
authority of the pope and the priests, was called an 
apostate or a heretic and was persecuted and even 
killed. Societies of monks were now formed for the 
purpose of suppressing heresy. Among these were 
the Dominicans who made it their business to search 
for so-called heretics and to torture them and, if they 
remained firm, to put them to death. 



16. THE WALDENSES. 
Forerunners As we have already said, not 



— 39 — 

only did individual men here and there protest against 
the errors and the increasing worldliness of the 
Church, but sects came into existence which separated 
from the Church and attempted to retain the form of 
the Primitive Church. The more the Church in gen- 
eral lapsed into Romanish heathenism the more de- 
cidedly did these sects segregate themselves. They 
realized that the Church was following a wrong 
course from that time on, when, under Constantine, 
it had formed a union with the State and, with the 
acquisition of wealth, had assumed the role of a world 
power. We find these sects under various names, such 
as the Novatians in Rome and North Africa, the Pris- 
cillians in Spain, the Paulicians in Asia Minor, the 
Bogomiles in Bulgaria, the Claudists and Wallenses 
in Italy, Catharists, or Albigenses, and Waldenses in 
all southern Europe. Though they differed in some 
points of belief, in themselves important enough, yet 
in one thing they agreed; namely, that the Roman 
Church, as a priestly church, had deviated from the 
truth, and that the original form of the Church should 
be retained in the individual organizations. Member- 
ship in these should be voluntary and a holy life in 
imitation of that of Christ was essential. The various 
names given to the movement at different times were 
merely nicknames. They called themselves Brethren 
or Apostolic Christians. 

Peter Waldo was the leader of one of these sects, 
called Waldenses after his name. Through him, since 
he insisted on the careful study of the Holy Scriptures, 
the congregations came to a fuller knowledge and per- 
ception of the truth. About the year 1170 he lived at 
Lyons in southern France, where he was a wealthy 



— 40 — 

merchant. He was shaken out of his life of ease and 
indifference by the sudden death of a friend and was 
converted to God. He then broke off all business re- 
lations, gave a part of his property to the poor and 
with the rest had the Bible translated into his native 
language. He realized that the Gospel ought to be 
brought to the poor people, and therefore he organ- 
ized a society of preachers having this purpose in 
view. Through this he became the means of leading 
thousands to Christ. The pope soon excommunicated 
him, but that did not stop his work. His influence 
pervaded the South of France, the North of Italy, and 
even a part of Germany. Everywhere hungry souls 
gladly received his message of the Gospel. In the 
year 1215, after an eventful life, rich in blessings, he 
died in Bohemia. 

The doctrine of the Waldenses was in sharp con- 
trast with the Roman Church. The Holy Scriptures 
were the foundation of their religious life. They val- 
ued the New Testament very highly, especially such 
parts as the Sermon on the Mount. As they accepted 
the commandments of Christ without reserve, they 
generally regarded the oath and military service as 
wrong; only in extreme cases would they allow self- 
defense. The command, "Love your enemies," they 
tried to observe to the letter. They rejected the Rom- 
ish abuses, such as pilgrimages, worship of the saints, 
etc. Their knowledge of the Bible was astonishing. 
They had it in their own language and the children 
learned to read it and memorized long passages. When- 
ever possible they had their own schools. Quite early 
they had their own catechism which was studied by 
the children and those that applied for admission to 
the church. 



— 41 — 

Their church organization was modelled after that 
of the Primitive Church. All those that came to the 
meetings but were not yet members of the church were 
called lovers of truth. They admitted no one to mem- 
bership except by baptism on the confession of faith. 
The direct management of the church was in the 
hands of the ministers who were distinguished as 
deacons, evangelists, pastors and bishops. Some of 
these gave up their earthly possessions and as itinerant 
preachers journeyed from place to place. They prac- 
ticed the precepts of Christ as given in Matth. 10 and 
were called apostles or sometimes also friends of God. 
The churches regarded it as very important that their 
teachers and preachers be pious, consecrated men, such 
whose lives harmonized with their position. In their 
meetings they sang and prayed and read the Word of 
God; they observed the Lord's Supper in a simple 
manner. They laid great stress upon private devo- 
tions. Since they did not believe it was right to erect 
large and beautiful cathedrals, they, as a rule, built 
simple chapels. 

The apostles of this sect are especially noteworthy 
since they deserve that name in every respect. In 
simple garb they traveled about and sold small ar- 
ticles for household use. Wherever possible they took 
their testament and began to talk about the costly 
pearl they had in possession. They also had great in- 
fluence among the churches through the letters they 
wrote to them. Many of them came from the best 
families and had attended the best schools. They 
could have occupied important positions in the world, 
but they sacrificed everything for Christ. Such a man 
was Bishop Reiser, who was burned in 1458 at Strass- 
burg. 



— 42 — 

17. PERSECUTIONS OF THE WALDENSES. 

Their position towards the Catholic Church was, 
as we have mentioned before, at first decidedly nega- 
tive. They severely criticized the unholy life of the 
priests. On the other hand, however, they also recog- 
nized and valued highly whatever good they found. 
They greatly esteemed the maxims of the Church 
Fathers and the creed of the Primitive Church. They 
did not assert that no one in the Roman Catholic 
Church could be saved, yet they believed that it was 
very difficult. Unhindered approach to God, that is, 
without any priest or saint as mediator, was to them 
a most precious privilege. On that account they often 
omitted the sacraments, especially baptism, if on their 
account they were in danger of persecution. They 
mostly retained their membership in the Catholic 
Church and attended its services, nevertheless they 
formed a sort of society which had its separate 
meetings. 

Their pure life was praised even by their enemies, 
who openly declared that "the Waldenses enjoy great 
advantages because they lead a purer life than other 
Christians. They never swear ; they never use the name 
of God in vain, and they faithfully keep their prom- 
ises." In order to escape all temptation to cheat, they 
avoided business transactions as much as possible and 
engaged in agriculture and ordinary trades. As they 
were industrious and frugal in their habits and dressed 
simply, they were mostly well-to-do. Their children 
were carefully brought up. Consequently, when they 
were grown, they had no difficulty in finding positions. 
The Waldenses had an excellent reputation as servants 



— 43 — 

and renters. Their life as a whole offers a proof that 
piety has its rewards here on earth, as well as in 
heaven. 

Yet, in spite of their blameless life they were 
shamefully slandered. As in the case of the early 
Christians, they were said to practise in their meet- 
ings all sorts of sins and vices. Because they often 
held their meetings in caves, they were called cave- 
dwellers, associates of wolves, etc. Their pious life 
was said to be nothing but pretense and by it they 
could easily make themselves appear the best 
Christians. 

A deadly hatred nearly always was the lot of the 
Waldenses, because, according to the teachings of the 
Roman Church, heresy, which always meant a depart- 
ure from her teachings, was more dangerous than the 
greatest crime. It was very seldom, therefore, that 
the Waldenses were left in peace. A synod, in 1229, 
decided that any prince or judge who should give pro- 
tection to a heretic should be deprived of his land 
and of his property. Innocent III., the most illustrious 
of the popes, preached a crusade against the heretics 
in southern France, which was carried on with great 
cruelty and lasted twenty years. When a town was at- 
tacked, the soldiers received orders to spare no one, 
since the Lord would recognize his own, that is, the 
Catholics. That the Waldenses might be found out 
everywhere, the pope ordered that each adult person 
should confess before a priest at least once in two 
years. A special board of inquiry, called the Inquisi- 
tion, was organized and its work entrusted to the 
Dominicans. The Waldenses then suffered terrible 
tortures. Many of them were burned to death. In 



— 44 — 

Mainz 35 died thus, in Strassburg 50 and in Bingen 
18. In Italy 400 mothers with their children had taken 
refuge in a cave. The enemies built a fire at the en- 
trance and suffocated them. At another time a large 
number of them were driven across the Alps in winter. 
The poor mothers carried the smallest children in their 
arms and led the older ones by the hand, while the men 
tried to keep off the pursuers. Many of them were 
murdered and others died of hunger. Among the lat- 
ter were 180 children. Thus the Waldenses, like the 
Christians of the early days, through their lives and 
their suffering and death gave evidence of the invinci- 
ble power of the Gospel. The Roman Church, on the 
other hand, at that time was drunk with the blood of 
the saints and gave evidence that in her true nature 
she was an enemy of truth and piety. 



18. FORERUNNERS OF THE REFORMATION. 

The Waldenses, through the purity of their re- 
ligion, had done much to spread the conviction among 
the people that the Roman Church was full of errors 
with which sincere Christians should have nothing to 
do. Likewise, by means of their literature they helped 
to prepare the ground for the Reformation. The Wal- 
denses, like the Catharists before them, translated the 
Bible into their mother tongue and spread it widely. 
The only piece of literature of the Catharists that is 
still in existence is a translation of the Bible into the 
French language. This translation was made in the 
12th century. In a cloister at Tepl, Bohemia, a book 
of the Waldenses was found that contained a transla- 
tion of the New Testament which was made in the 



— 45 — 

14th century. This translation is called the Codex 
Teplensis and was used as the basis of all German 
bibles which were issued after the invention of printing 
until the year 1522. This German bible, of which 14 
editions were published, was largely used by Luther 
in his translation. The Waldensian apostles also 
exerted a far-reaching influence through their letters 
which they sent around among the churches. In fact, 
the Waldenses were like beacon lights which send 
their beams out into the darkness in all directions. 
They were found in the South of France, in upper 
Italy, in Switzerland, and along the Rhine in the large 
cities of Strassburg, Augsburg, and Nuremberg. They 
made their way into Bohemia and even into northern 
Germany. 

Schools of Heretics (Ketzerschulen). Because of 
the many bloody persecutions the number of Walden- 
sian congregations was considerably diminished. In 
many places where formerly were large congregations 
only small circles remained. In order not to be en- 
tirely wiped out, many of them in Germany and Switz- 
erland omitted the holy sacraments, especially baptism, 
and confined themselves to quiet meetings in which 
they read the Scriptures and comforted one another. 
In this manner they succeeded in keeping their church 
organization and in preserving the faith of their 
fathers. These meetings, which were called heretic 
schools by the enemies, in many places helped very 
much to prepare the way for the Reformation. 

John liuss. During the 15th century, even 
within the Catholic Church, many voices were heard 
that demanded a reformation. Most of them thought 
that the reformation should begin at the top. Accord- 



— 46 — 

ingly, three great church councils were called, namely 
at Pisa, Constance and Basel. At these councils the 
purification of the Church was under discussion. Very 
little, however, was accomplished and the reason is 
not hard to find. Any reformation with visible re- 
sults must be preceded by a change of the heart evi- 
denced by repentance. In order that such a change 
may take place the Word of God must be given to the 
people. Some pious men recognized this necessity 
and tried their best to spread a knowledge of the 
Bible. Such men are called forerunners of the Re- 
formation. Among these was John Wyclif in England 
(1324-1384). In his dealings with the papal legates 
he became aware of the avarice of the pope and of 
many errors in the Romish Church. He took a posi- 
tive stand against these, and, in order to make his op- 
position more effective, he translated the Bible into 
the English language. His writings got to be known 
even in Bohemia. Through them John Huss, who was 
a professor at the university of Prague, came to see 
the truth and he began to preach boldly that forgive- 
ness of sins can be obtained only through faith in 
Christ, the crucified. His fearless words aroused the 
anger of the Roman clergy to such an extent that he 
was advised to go into exile. Two years later he was 
called to appear before the Council of Constance, and 
in that city, in spite of the fact that the emperor 
Sigismund had assured him of his protection, he was 
burned on the 6th of July, 1415. The execution of 
John Huss aroused his followers to such a degree that 
they seized weapons and in battle defeated all forces 
sent against them by Pope and Emperor. At last the 
Council of Basel was compelled to give them certain 



— 47 — 

privileges , among which was the right to preach in 
the language of the people. 

The Bohemian Brethren were that branch of the 
Hussites who realized that it was not right to defend 
one's faith with the sword. With them united the 
rest of the Waldensian congregations. In the year 
1467 they held a council at Lhota, to which came dele- 
gates of the Waldensian churches of other countries. 
In this council they decided that from then on they 
would not only teach that baptism should be adminis- 
tered on confession of faith but they would also prac- 
tice what they taught, and consequently would defi- 
nitely break off all connection with the Catholic 
Church. An old Austrian bishop of the Waldenses or- 
dained three of their preachers to bishops. They 
showed great activity and in fifty years increased to 
200,000 members. They had their own schools and 
printing shops ,and published the Waldensian cate- 
chism and numerous other works in the Bohemian 
language. By such means they helped very much to 
prepare the w r ay for the Reformation. 



III. The Period of the Reformation. 



19. LUTHER AND ZWINGLI. 

Luther's early days show that God often finds 
his servants there where worldly wisdom would 
hardly expect to find thern. Martin Luther was born 
on the 10th of November, 1483, at Eisleben. He was 
the son of a poor miner and was brought up under 



— 48 — 

needy circumstances and with great severity. He at- 
tended school at Magdeburg and Eisenach and earned 
his bread by singing before the houses of rich people. 
When he was eighteen years old he entered the uni- 
versity at Erfurt. Here he found a Latin bible, which 
he read with great pleasure. By the tragic death of 
a friend he was induced to enter a monastery, where 
he thought he could devote himself entirely to the 
service of God. But he found no peace, although he 
subjected himself to all sorts of privations. For days 
he lay in his cell and lamented over his sins, until, 
finally, he came to the conviction that remission of 
sins comes only through grace. In 1508 he was called 
as professor to the university at Wittenberg. He next 
visited Rome and entered the city with great expecta- 
tions. He there became thoroughly acquainted with 
popery and returned greatly disappointed. He devoted 
himself more earnestly to the study of the Holy 
Scriptures and by the grace of God succeeded in find- 
ing one precious truth after another. 

In the year 1517 Luther first entered upon his 
career as reformer. It was the time when Pope Leo 
X., by selling indulgences, obtained large sums of 
money for rebuilding the church of St. Peter in Rome. 
John Tetzel, a notorious seller of indulgences, traveled 
through Saxony and made the people believe that 
sorrow over sins and repentance of them were unnec- 
essary; all they had to do was to buy a letter of in- 
dulgence and their sins would be forgiven. Luther, 
indignant because the people were cheated out of their 
money and their salvation, at first preached against 
this evil. Then on the 31st of October, he posted on 
the door of the church of All Saints at Wittenberg 



— 33 — 

rule would not have been so harmful. The real papacy, 
as it was known later, had its origin in the fact that 
in the eighth century the popes received grants of 
land and established a worldly kingdom. In a short 
time they got control over the greater part of Italy. 
They kept a large number of servants about them and 
had a well-trained army at their command. In Rome 
unscrupulous parties were formed through whose in- 
fluence dissolute persons occupied the papal throne. 
Several times the German emperor came to Italy, de- 
throned the evil pope and put a better one in his place. 

Gregory VII (1073-1085), through his ability 
and his morally clean life, brought papacy into honor 
again and attained for it a high degree of power. He 
asserted that the apostle Peter, according to Matth. 
16:18, was appointed by the Lord to be the head of 
the Church. Upon that authority he founded the 
Church at Rome and was its bishop for twenty-five 
years. Therefore the popes are his successors and are 
to be regarded as the vicars of Christ on earth. Their 
authority is above that of all princes and kings. Just 
as the moon receives its light from the sun, so the 
kings and emperors are dependent upon the pope. He 
is their superior and to his decisions they must yield. 
To resist him is to resist God. All lands must pay 
him tribute — known by the name of Peter's Pence. 
The German emperor Henry IV dared to resist him, 
but was compelled to make a journey to Italy in the 
midst of winter and implore his mercy. Gregory did 
not permit the priests to marry and threatened to put 
under the ban anyone that received the investiture, 
that is, the right to preach, from some one else than 
him. 



— 34 — 

The political power of the popes reached its 
climax under Innocent III (1198-1216). He claimed 
authority not only over the Church but also over the 
State. The English king, John, received his kingdom 
as a fief from the pope, and the German emperor 
meekly held the stirrup when the pope mounted his 
horse. His legates were found in all countries, and 
everywhere money was collected for him. At his court, 
splendor and luxury prevailed to a high degree and 
there was no sign of Christian humility and gentleness. 

Hatred against true Christianity revealed the real 
nature of papacy. Wherever any simple, quiet and 
biblical Christianity was found it was crushed with 
the greatest severity. The result was that the people 
began to believe more in the pope than in Christ. 
The pope, instead of Christ, was regarded as the one 
through whose mediation salvation could be obtained. 
No wonder that the truly pious people of that time 
looked upon papacy as the Beast from the abyss and 
upon the pope as the Antichrist. 



14. THE CRUSADES. 

Causes of the Crusades. The land in which 
Jesus walked about, in which he performed his 
deeds of love, and in which he died on the cross for the 
sins of the world, has always been a land of the great- 
est importance to Christians. Many devout people 
made pilgrimages to the sacred places that they might 
pray there in quiet devotion. But as the Church be- 
gan more and more to lay stress upon works, a pil- 
grimage to the Holy Land came to be regarded as an 



— 35 — 

act of special merit. A prayer at the Holy Sepulchre 
was throught to be more helpful than a quiet godly life 
at home. For that reason the number of pilgrims in- 
creased from year to year, and as long as Palestine 
was under the rule of the Saracen caliphs, they suf- 
fered little interference. But when, in the 11th cen- 
tury, the fierce Turks conquered the Holy Land, the 
pilgrims were cruelly treated by them. After their 
return home they would complain bitterly of the fact 
that the most sacred places on earth were in the hands 
of unbelievers and that these made an undisturbed 
prayer at the sepulchre of Christ impossible. One of 
these pilgrims, Peter of Amiens, also called Peter the 
Hermit, described the conditions prevailing there with 
such vividness that the pope Was induced to call two 
church councils at which plans were considered how 
to wrest the Holy Land out of the hands of the Turks. 
By the eloquence of Peter the whole assembly was 
carried along and the people cried as with one voice, 
"God wills it," and then and there they determined 
to rescue Palestine by force of arms. 

The first Crusade started in the year 1096. 
All those that took part fastened a red cross on their 
shoulder, and from this fact the movement received 
its name. The pope promised every crusader remission 
of sins and salvation. Peter the Hermit with a dis- 
orderly mob started first, but came only to Asia 
Minor, where the majority perished. Not until the 
summer of 1099 did the army of the crusaders proper 
get to Jerusalem. The city was captured after a bit- 
ter fight and with the slaughter of thousands on both 
sides. A Christian kingdom was organized and God- 
frey of Bouillon was chosen king. He, however, re- 



— 36 — 

fused to wear a royal crown where Jesus had worn a 
crown of thorns. For the protection of the Holy City 
various orders of knighthood were founded, such as 
the Knights Templars and the Knights of St. John, 
or Hospitallers, who made it their duty to take care 
of the sick. 

Further Crusades were necessary to main- 
tain the new kingdom, since it was subject to frequent 
attacks by its enemies. In 1147 the second crusade 
took place and in 1189 the third. Altogether there 
were seven crusades, of which the majority accom- 
plished very little, mostly because of the want of 
harmony among the leaders. The Turks, moreover, 
had won Jerusalem again in 1187, and in 1291 Acco, 
the last city held by the Christians, also fell into their 
hands. Thus ended the crusades, born of piety, fanati- 
cism, and a spirit of adventure. 

The effects of the Crusades were seen in a wider 
knowledge of the Orient, in the increase of the power 
of the pope, and in the superstition with which 
the bones of saints and other relics were wor- 
shipped. The saddest result, however, was that the 
people began to believe it was a service acceptable to 
God to kill infidels and that it was right to spread 
Christianity with the sword. Furthermore, the pope 
found it possible to organize crusades against such as 
did not agree with his opinion or opposed him in his 
views. 



15. THE DARK AGES. 
The time between the 10th and the 15th centuries 



— 37 — 

is known as the Dark Ages. So many errors and 
abuses had crept into the Church and conditions were 
such that almost no resemblance to the Primitive 
Church could be found. 

The Bible was known to very few. Rarely did 
anyone study the language in which the Bible was 
originally written. The majority of the priests could 
neither read nor write. They memorized a few pas- 
sages out of the gospels and a few other books, and 
that was all they knew. No sermons were delivered 
during the church services, only legends about the 
saints were related. Everywhere the services were 
held in Latin and the people understood practically 
nothing of what was said. In most cases only mass 
was read, in which the congregaion took no part. 

The worship of the saints took the form of a 
pronounced heathenism. In all churches and chapels 
there were relics of them and these relics were sup- 
posed to perform miracles. Christians that had 
done more good works than were absolutely necessary 
for salvation were regarded as saints. Therefore the 
people prayed to them and celebrated festivals in their 
honor. The Virgin Mary, above all, was regarded as 
the Queen of Heaven and was believed to have been 
without sin. On that account people were taught to 
believe that through her salvation could be obtained 
and as special honor they always kept candles burning 
before her pictures. 

The priests formed a class quite distinct from 
the laity. All sins had to be confessed to them and 
only those sins that had been confessed could be for- 
given. They said that in the mass Christ was sacri- 
ficed anew by the priests. When communion was ob- 



— 38 — 

served, the laity received only the bread but not the 
cup because they might spill some of the wine. The 
priests taught that by their blessing the bread and 
the wine were changed into the body and the blood of 
Christ. The Church was altogether under the domina- 
tion of the priests, and whether anyone would be 
saved depended upon them ; yet they themselves often 
led very shameful lives. 

Through good works anyone could earn salvation. 
He who would find rest for his soul was told by the 
priests to bring a certain number of candles for the 
Virgin Mary or to make a present to the Church. A 
pilgrimage to some chapel or to Rome was very help- 
ful; likewise, to fast, to scourge one's self, to say 
many prayers, and to take part in a crusade. Those 
that had died might be released from purgatory by 
reading mass for them, not, however, without paying 
the priests liberally for their services. Piety had be- 
come a mere business proposition. 

Hatred of true Christianity was one of the saddest 
signs of these dark days. Whoever departed from the 
teachings of the Church, or would not recognize the 
authority of the pope and the priests, was called an 
apostate or a heretic and was persecuted and even 
killed. Societies of monks were now formed for the 
purpose of suppressing heresy. Among these were 
the Dominicans who made it their business to search 
for so-called heretics and to torture them and, if they 
remained firm, to put them to death. 



16. THE WALDENSES. 
Forerunners As we have already said, not 



only did individual men here and there protest against 
the errors and the increasing worldliness of the 
Church, but sects came into existence which separated 
from the Church and attempted to retain the form of 
the Primitive Church. The more the Church in gen- 
eral lapsed into Romanish heathenism the more de- 
cidedly did these sects segregate themselves. They 
realized that the Church was following a wrong 
course from that time on, when, under Constantine, 
it had formed a union with the State and, with the 
acquisition of wealth, had assumed the role of a world 
power. We find these sects under various names, such 
as the Novatians in Rome and North Africa, the Pris- 
cillians in Spain, the Paulicians in Asia Minor, the 
Bogomiles in Bulgaria, the Claudists and Wallenses 
in Italy, Catharists, or Albigenses, and Waldenses in 
all southern Europe. Though they differed in some 
points of belief, in themselves important enough, yet 
in one thing they agreed ; namely, that the Roman 
Church, as a priestly church, had deviated from the 
truth, and that the original form of the Church should 
be retained in the individual organizations. Member- 
ship in these should be voluntary and a holy life in 
imitation of that of Christ was essential. The various 
names given to the movement at different times were 
merely nicknames. They called themselves Brethren 
or Apostolic Christians. 

Peter Waldo was the leader of one of these sects, 
called Waldenses after his name. Through him, since 
he insisted on the careful study of the Holy Scriptures, 
the congregations came to a fuller knowledge and per- 
ception of the truth. About the year 1170 he lived at 
Lyons in southern France, where he was a wealthy 



— 40 — 

merchant. He was shaken out of his life of ease and 
indifference by the sudden death of a friend and was 
converted to God. He then broke off all business re- 
lations, gave a part of his property to the poor and 
with the rest had the Bible translated into his native 
language. He realized that the Gospel ought to be 
brought to the poor people, and therefore he organ- 
ized a society of preachers having this purpose in 
view. Through this he became the means of leading 
thousands to Christ. The pope soon excommunicated 
him, but that did not stop his work. His influence 
pervaded the South of France, the North of Italy, and 
even a part of Germany. Everywhere hungry souls 
gladly received his message of the Gospel. In the 
year 1215, after an eventful life, rich in blessings, he 
died in Bohemia. 

The doctrine of the Waldenses was in sharp con- 
trast with the Roman Church. The Holy Scriptures 
were the foundation of their religious life. They val- 
ued the New Testament very highly, especially such 
parts as the Sermon on the Mount. As they accepted 
the commandments of Christ without reserve, they 
generally regarded the oath and military service as 
wrong; only in extreme cases would they allow self- 
defense. The command, "Love your enemies," they 
tried to observe to the letter. They rejected the Rom- 
ish abuses, such as pilgrimages, worship of the saints, 
etc. Their knowledge of the Bible was astonishing. 
They had it in their own language and the children 
learned to read it and memorized long passages. When- 
ever possible they had their own schools. Quite early 
they had their own catechism which was studied by 
the children and those that applied for admission to 
the church. 



— 41 — 

Their church organization was modelled after that 
of the Primitive Church. All those that came to the 
meetings but were not yet members of the church were 
called lovers of truth. They admitted no one to mem- 
bership except by baptism on the confession of faith. 
The direct management of the church was in the 
hands of the ministers who were distinguished as 
deacons, evangelists, pastors and bishops. Some of 
these gave up their earthly possessions and as itinerant 
preachers journeyed from place to place. They prac- 
ticed the precepts of Christ as given in Matth. 10 and 
were called apostles or sometimes also friends of God. 
The churches regarded it as very important that their 
teachers and preachers be pious, consecrated men, such 
whose lives harmonized with their position. In their 
meetings they sang and prayed and read the Word of 
God; they observed the Lord's Supper in a simple 
manner. They laid great stress upon private devo- 
tions. Since they did not believe it was right to erect 
large and beautiful cathedrals, they, as a rule, built 
simple chapels. 

The apostles of this sect are especially noteworthy 
since they deserve that name in every respect. In 
simple garb they traveled about and sold small ar- 
ticles for household use. Wherever possible they took 
their testament and began to talk about the costly 
pearl they had in possession. They also had great in- 
fluence among the churches through the letters they 
wrote to them. Many of them came from the best 
families and had attended the best schools. They 
could have occupied important positions in the world, 
but they sacrificed everything for Christ. Such a man 
was Bishop Reiser, who was burned in 1458 at Strass- 
burg. 



— 42 — 

17. PERSECUTIONS OF THE WALDENSES. 

Their position towards the Catholic Church was, 
as we have mentioned before, at first decidedly nega- 
tive. They severely criticized the unholy life of the 
priests. On the other hand, however, they also recog- 
nized and valued highly whatever good they found. 
They greatly esteemed the maxims of the Church 
Fathers and the creed of the Primitive Church. They 
did not assert that no one in the Roman Catholic 
Church could be saved, yet they believed that it was 
very difficult. Unhindered approach to God, that is, 
without any priest or saint as mediator, was to them 
a most precious privilege. On that account they often 
omitted the sacraments, especially baptism, if on their 
account they were in danger of persecution. They 
mostly retained their membership in the Catholic 
Church and attended its services, nevertheless they 
formed a sort of society which had its separate 
meetings. 

Their pure life was praised even by their enemies, 
w T ho openly declared that "the Waldenses enjoy great 
advantages because they lead a purer life than other 
Christians. They never swear; they never use the name 
of God in vain, and they faithfully keep their prom- 
ises." In order to escape all temptation to cheat, they 
avoided business transactions as much as possible and 
engaged in agriculture and ordinary trades. As they 
were industrious and frugal in their habits and dressed 
simply, they were mostly well-to-do. Their children 
were carefully brought up. Consequently, when they 
were grown, they had no difficulty in finding positions. 
The Waldenses had an excellent reputation as servants 



— 43 — 

and renters. Their life as a whole offers a proof that 
piety has its rewards here on earth, as well as in 
heaven. 

Yet, in spite of their blameless life they were 
shamefully slandered. As in the case of the early 
Christians, they were said to practise in their meet- 
ings all sorts of sins and vices. Because they often 
held their meetings in caves, they were called cave- 
dwellers, associates of wolves, etc. Their pious life 
was said to be nothing but pretense and by it they 
could easily make themselves appear the best 
Christians. 

A deadly hatred nearly always was the lot of the 
Waldenses, because, according to the teachings of the 
Roman Church, heresy, which always meant a depart- 
ure from her teachings, was more dangerous than the 
greatest crime. It was very seldom, therefore, that 
the Waldenses were left in peace. A synod, in 1229, 
decided that any prince or judge who should give pro- 
tection to a heretic should be deprived of his land 
and of his property. Innocent III., the most illustrious 
of the popes, preached a crusade against the heretics 
in southern France, which was carried on with great 
cruelty and lasted twenty years. When a town was at- 
tacked, the soldiers received orders to spare no one, 
since the Lord would recognize his own, that is, the 
Catholics. That the Waldenses might be found out 
everywhere, the pope ordered that each adult person 
should confess before a priest at least once in two 
years. A special board of inquiry, called the Inquisi- 
tion, was organized and its work entrusted to the 
Dominicans. The Waldenses then suffered terrible 
tortures. Many of them were burned to death. In 



— 44 — 

Mainz 35 died thus, in Strassburg 50 and in Bingen 
18. In Italy 400 mothers with their children had taken 
refuge in a cave. The enemies built a fire at the en- 
trance and suffocated them. At another time a large 
number of them were driven across the Alps in winter. 
The poor mothers carried the smallest children in their 
arms and led the older ones by the hand, while the men 
tried to keep off the pursuers. Many of them were 
murdered and others died of hunger. Among the lat- 
ter were 180 children. Thus the Waldenses, like the 
Christians of the early days, through their lives and 
their suffering and death gave evidence of the invinci- 
ble power of the Gospel. The Roman Church, on the 
other hand, at that time was drunk with the blood of 
the saints and gave evidence that in her true nature 
she was an enemy of truth and piety. 



18. FORERUNNERS OF THE REFORMATION. 

The Waldenses, through the purity of their re- 
ligion, had done much to spread the conviction among 
the people that the Roman Church was full of errors 
with which sincere Christians should have nothing to 
do. Likewise, by means of their literature they helped 
to prepare the ground for the Reformation. The Wal- 
denses, like the Catharists before them, translated the 
Bible into their mother tongue and spread it widely. 
The only piece of literature of the Catharists that is 
still in existence is a translation of the Bible into the 
French language. This translation was made in the 
12th century. In a cloister at Tepl, Bohemia, a book 
of the Waldenses was found that contained a transla- 
tion of the New Testament which was made in the 



— 45 — 

14th century. This translation is called the Codex 
Teplensis and was used as the basis of all German 
bibles which were issued after the invention of printing 
until the year 1522. This German bible, of which 14 
editions were published, was largely used by Luther 
in his translation. The Waldensian apostles also 
exerted a far-reaching influence through their letters 
which they sent around among the churches. In fact, 
the Waldenses were like beacon lights which send 
their beams out into the darkness in all directions. 
They were found in the South of France, in upper 
Italy, in Switzerland, and along the Rhine in the large 
cities of Strassburg, Augsburg, and Nuremberg. They 
made their way into Bohemia and even into northern 
Germany. 

Schools of Heretics (Ketzerschulen) . Because of 
the many bloody persecutions the number of Walden- 
sian congregations was considerably diminished. In 
many places where formerly were large congregations 
only small circles remained. In order not to be en- 
tirely wiped out, many of them in Germany and Switz- 
erland omitted the holy sacraments, especially baptism, 
and confined themselves to quiet meetings in which 
they read the Scriptures and comforted one another. 
In this manner they succeeded in keeping their church 
organization and in preserving the faith of their 
fathers. These meetings, which were called heretic 
schools by the enemies, in many places helped very 
much to prepare the way for the Reformation. 

John Huss. During the 15th century, even 
within the Catholic Church, many voices were heard 
that demanded a reformation. Most of them thought 
that the reformation should begin at the top. Accord- 



— 46 — 

ingly, three great church councils were called, namely 
at Pisa, Constance and Basel. At these councils the 
purification of the Church was under discussion. Very 
little, however, was accomplished and the reason is 
not hard to find. Any reformation with visible re- 
sults must be preceded by a change of the heart evi- 
denced by repentance. In order that such a change 
may take place the Word of God must be given to the 
people. Some pious men recognized this necessity 
and tried their best to spread a knowledge of the 
Bible. Such men are called forerunners of the Re- 
formation. Among these was John Wyclif in England 
(1324-1384). In his dealings with the papal legates 
he became aware of the avarice of the pope and of 
many errors in the Romish Church. He took a posi- 
tive stand against these, and, in order to make his op- 
position more effective, he translated the Bible into 
the English language. His writings got to be known 
even in Bohemia. Through them John Huss, who was 
a professor at the university of Prague, came to see 
the truth and he began to preach boldly that forgive- 
ness of sins can be obtained only through faith in 
Christ, the crucified. His fearless words aroused the 
anger of the Roman clergy to such an extent that he 
was advised to go into exile. Two years later he was 
called to appear before the Council of Constance, and 
in that city, in spite of the fact that the emperor 
Sigismund had assured him of his protection, he was 
burned on the 6th of July, 1415. The execution of 
John Huss aroused his followers to such a degree that 
they seized weapons and in battle defeated all forces 
sent against them by Pope and Emperor. At last the 
Council of Basel was compelled to give them certain 



— 47 — 

privileges ,among which was the right to preach in 
the language of the people. 

The Bohemian Brethren were that branch of the 
Hussites who realized that it was not right to defend 
one's faith with the sword. With them united the 
rest of the Waldensian congregations. In the year 
1467 they held a council at Lhota, to which came dele- 
gates of the Waldensian churches of other countries. 
In this council they decided that from then on they 
would not only teach that baptism should be adminis- 
tered on confession of faith but they would also prac- 
tice what they taught, and consequently would defi- 
nitely break off all connection with the Catholic 
Church. An old Austrian bishop of the Waldenses or- 
dained three of their preachers to bishops. They 
showed great activity and in fifty years increased to 
200,000 members. They had their own schools and 
printing shops ,and published the Waldensian cate- 
chism and numerous other works in the Bohemian 
language. By such means they helped very much to 
prepare the way for the Reformation. 



III. The Period of the Reformation. 



19. LUTHER AND ZWINGLI. 

Luther's early days show that God often finds 
his servants there where worldly wisdom would 
hardly expect to find them. Martin Luther was born 
on the 10th of November, 1483, at Eisleben. He was 
the son of a poor miner and was brought up under 



— 48 — 

needy circumstances and with great severity. He at- 
tended school at Magdeburg and Eisenach and earned 
his bread by singing before the houses of rich people. 
When he was eighteen years old he entered the uni- 
versity at Erfurt. Here he found a Latin bible, which 
he read with great pleasure. By the tragic death of 
a friend he was induced to enter a monastery, where 
he thought he could devote himself entirely to the 
service of God. But he found no peace, although he 
subjected himself to all sorts of privations. For days 
he lay in his cell and lamented over his sins, until, 
finally, he came to the conviction that remission of 
sins comes only through grace. In 1508 he was called 
as professor to the university at Wittenberg. He next 
visited Rome and entered the city with great expecta- 
tions. He there became thoroughly acquainted with 
popery and returned greatly disappointed. He devoted 
himself more earnestly to the study of the Holy 
Scriptures and by the grace of God succeeded in find- 
ing one precious truth after another. 

In the year 1517 Luther first entered upon his 
career as reformer. It was the time when Pope Leo 
X., by selling indulgences, obtained large sums of 
money for rebuilding the church of St. Peter in Rome. 
John Tetzel, a notorious seller of indulgences, traveled 
through Saxony and made the people believe that 
sorrow over sins and repentance of them were unnec- 
essary; all they had to do was to buy a letter of in- 
dulgence and their sins would be forgiven. Luther, 
indignant because the people were cheated out of their 
money and their salvation, at first preached against 
this evil. Then on the 31st of October, he posted on 
the door of the church of All Saints at Wittenberg 



— 49 — 

ninety-five theses, in which he condemned the sale of 
indulgences as an abomination. The pope tried to force 
him to recant, but as Luther remained firm he was 
excommunicated. In 1521 he was called to appear be- 
fore the emperor Charles V. at the Diet of Worms and 
was requested to recant. He steadfastly refused, how- 
ever, and said, "Here I stand ; I can do naught else. God 
help me. Amen." He was then put under the ban of 
the empire, which meant that anyone might kill him. 
But the Elector of Saxony protected him and had him 
secretly brought to the castle of the Wartburg, where 
he was kept in disguise. While here in seclusion he 
translated the New Testament into the German lan- 
guage. Later he translated also the Old Testament, 
but not until 1534 was the entire Bible completed. In 
1522 Luther returned to Wittenberg, where he re- 
sumed his work as preacher, teacher and author. 

The Reformation asserted itself in such a way 
that whole cities and countries separated from Rome 
and introduced an evangelical manner of worship. 
The people accepted Luther's theses and likewise re- 
ceived with favor his other treatises in which he 
called the pope the Antichrist and declared that the 
Bible was the only guide of our lives and faith. Many 
thousands adhered to his teachings and were not at 
all terrified by the threats of the pope and the em- 
peror. In a few years the Reformation was estab- 
lished in Saxony, Hesse, Prussia, and in many of the 
large cities. Cloisters were suppressed, pictures were 
removed from churches, and the German language was 
introduced in the religious services. Mass and celibacy 
of the clergy were abolished and the Lord's Supper 
was held in a simpler form. Luther himself mar- 



— 50 — 

ried and the majority of the evangelical preachers fol- 
lowed his example. Luther paid a great deal of atten- 
tion to the establishment of schools and to the educa- 
tion of the children of the common people. He wrote a 
small and a large catechism and composed a number 
of songs and hymns, among which the hymn of the 
Reformation, "A mighty fortress is our God," is the 
best known. He and his co-laborer Philipp Melanchthon 
brought a great blessing to the people; for they em- 
phasized the fact that salvation can not be obtained 
through fasting and ceremonies but only through 
Christ. Luther died in the year 1546. It is a great 
pity that a man who was so gifted and who had come 
to the realization of so many precious truths should 
show himself so intolerant towards those who did not 
agree with him. He called them heretics and vision- 
aries and expressed the opinion that it was altogether 
right to persecute them. 

Wrick Zwingii in Zurich, Switzerland, also had 
come to see the errors of the Church and to realize 
the evangelical truths contained in the Bible. He strove 
to introduce a reformation there just as Luther had 
done in Saxony. As a result a separation from the 
Church of Rome took place at Zurich and in other 
cities and cantons of Switzerland. Zwingii and Luther, 
however, did not work in harmony, since they could 
not agree in their teachings in regard to the Lord's 
Supper. In a conflict between the Protestant and 
Catholic cantons, brought about largely by the intoler- 
ance of the former, Zwingii fell in battle in the year 
1531. 



— 51 — 
20. THE ANABAPTISTS IN SWITZERLAND. 

Origin. In the larger cities of Switzerland, such 
as Zurich, Basel and St. Gall, small remnants of the 
old Waldensian congregations had remained together 
and had preserved intact the faith of their fathers. 
They did not formally separate from the Catholic 
Church, for if they had done so they would have been 
persecuted. On that account, too, they did not prac- 
tice adult baptism; yet they had their own teachers 
and preachers and were faithful in the study of the 
Word of God. At the same time, they kept up com- 
munications with the brethren of the faith in Italy, 
France and Germany. In Zurich their meetings were 
sometimes attended by Zwingli. When he began with 
his reformation, they supported him, but soon ex- 
pressed the opinion that his reform was not of the 
right sort and was not thorough enough. He, for in- 
stance, permitted the City Council to decide church 
matters instead of letting the Church herself do this. 
Likewise he was unwilling to exercise church discipline. 
After long debates, those that were not in favor of 
establishing a State Church but rather one of the 
Apostolic order, separated from him, and in January, 
1525, formed a separate organization by adopting 
adult baptism- 
Prominent members of the new congregation were 
the following: 1. Conrad Grebel, the son of a rich 
alderman. He had attended the universities and was 
well versed in the ancient languages. 2. Felix Manz, 
also of prominent family and well educated, particular- 
ly in Hebrew. In his mother's house the congregation 
held its meetings. 3. William Reublin, an eloquent 
pastor in Zurich, who, already in earlier days, had at- 



— 52 — 

tacked Romish errors. 4. George Blaurock, a former 
monk, who always wore a blue coat, hence the name. 
5. Andrew von der Stuelzen, so-called because he went 
on crutches. Nearly all of these were zealous mem- 
bers of the quiet Bible schools which the people gener- 
ally derided as "heresy schools." These men united 
with many others and formed a congregation patterned 
after the Primitive Church as they found it described 
in the New Testament and as it had been transmitted 
to them by their ancestors. They required a holy life, 
humility in thought and in deed, and would not permit 
usury, deceit, military service and the oath. Whoever 
fell into a sinful life was excluded from the church. 

Growth of the Movement. In other places of 
Switzerland, especially at St. Gall, Anabaptist con- 
gregations were organized. Their preachers found 
many adherents in the country districts. Thousands 
came together to listen to the Word, although the 
meetings mostly were held in fields and in forests 
under the open sky. Many of the hearers were con- 
vinced that the Anabaptists lived more strictly in ac- 
cordance with the Word of God than did Zwingli and 
his associates, who permitted the State to rule the 
Church and countenanced military service and infant 
baptism. Furthermore, they maltreated all those who 
were not of their opinion. In those circles that ad- 
hered to Zwingli there were many that led sinful lives 
and yet were regarded as good Christians, while, on the 
other hand, the Anabaptists emphasized true piety. 
By their sincerity they gained many adherents. The 
congregation at St. Gall, for instance, consisted of 
about 800 members. 

Persecutions of the most violent sort soon broke 



— 53 — 

out against them. Zwingli called them devils disguised 
as angels of light and induced the government to pro- 
hibit them from preaching and baptizing. They were 
not permitted to print anything or to build churches. 
Their enemies called them Anabaptists and revolution- 
ists and invented all sorts of stories about them. Men 
and women were imprisoned and threatened with 
death if they refused to change their mind. On Janu- 
ary 5, Felix Manz was drowned in the lake of Zurich. 
Just as the waves closed over him he prayed, "Father, 
into thy hands I commend my spirit." Blaurock was 
scourged with rods and then driven out of the country. 
Eleven others were executed in various ways, and very 
many were exiled. These fled down the Rhine or into 
Moravia. Practically all the teachers and ministers 
were either killed or driven away. For a short time 
Michael Sattler was at the head of the congregation, 
but in 1527 he was burned at the stake. In a few 
years all the congregations were broken up and scat- 
tered. Those remaining either joined the State Church 
or lived in quiet seclusion, for after the defeat at Cap- 
pel the persecution on part of the Reformed Church 
had practically come to an end. 



21. HANS DENK. 

In South Germany, soon after Luther's appear- 
ance, there came a time of great religious unrest. 
Everywhere there was a demand for reformation. 
This demand, however, in many cases, was only of a 
superficial kind and was easily satisfied with external 
changes. This tendency gave rise to bloody insurrec- 
tions, especially on the occasion when the peasants 



— 54 — 

arose against the landowners and committed many- 
atrocities. Many people thought that all they had to 
do was to become followers of Luther and all evils 
would immediately be remedied. For that reason they 
left the Catholic Church and organized evangelical 
congregations. Luther, however, formed a new State 
church. If there was any difference between former 
and later conditions it showed itself mostly in the fact 
that many reviled the pope and the reading of mass, 
but otherwise were guilty of many evil practices. One 
preacher, for instance, said from the pulpit that if any 
quarrel should arise, he had a knife in his pocket. 
With that sort of reformation serious people were not 
satisfied, for the fruits it brought were not the proper 
kind. Most of all, the remainder of the Waldensian 
churches in cities such as Strassburg, Worms, Nurem- 
berg and Augsburg demanded a radical change in the 
church organizations. When in 1525 the first Ana- 
baptist congregation was organized in Zurich, these 
churches also regarded the time as favorable for in- 
troducing adult baptism and having a separate or- 
ganization. Consequently, during the year 1526 and 
1527 in these cities large congregations were formed 
the members of which received baptism on confes- 
sion of faith and united in a consecrated life in fel- 
lowship with Christ. 

Hans Denk was the most noted leader of these 
congregations. It is said that he was born in Bavaria. 
He attended good schools, such as the university at 
Basel where he received the degree of Master of Arts. 
He was especially well versed in Greek and in Hebrew. 
When still a young man he was called to Nuremberg 
as rector of the Latin school. But when he expressed 



— 55 — 

certain opinions which displeased the Lutheran pastor 
and the City Council, he was banished in 1525. From 
that time on a nomadic life was his sorrowful lot. If 
he had submitted to the ruling parties, it would have 
been easy for him to win wealth and positions of 
honor. But he could not be induced at any price to 
act contrary to his conviction. In his wanderings he 
came to St. Gall and was strongly attracted by the 
Anabaptist congregation. In the following year he 
was baptized in Augsburg and became the leader of 
the congregation there. In a short time the church 
increased to 1100 members. But he was not permitted 
to stay here very long, for the persecution on part of 
the government compelled him to seek safety in flight. 
He then visited other Anabaptist churches and re- 
mained for some time at Strassburg and Worms. 
Wherever he was he proved to be a great blessing to 
the churches. 

A great Church Council was held at Augsburg in 
1527, on which occasion he was the chairman. The 
rules and regulations of the South German Anabaptist 
congregations were decided upon by the Council. In 
the main, however, they were a renewal of the old 
Waldensian arrangement. The principal points agreed 
upon were adult baptism, a church organization based 
upon New Testament rules, and a life consecrated to 
the service of Jesus Christ. At the head of the 
churches should be bishops and evangelists. Such who 
travelled about, comforting the congregations and so- 
liciting new members, were called apostles. Main 
points only were emphasized; there should be liberty 
in secondary matters. At first there was a difference 
of opinion whether or not it was permissible to take 



— 56 — 

part in war. Finally, however, the opinion prevailed 
in the Synod that Christ with the command, "Love 
your enemies/' had prohibited all violence on part of 
his followers. 

Denk showed great ability as an author. At 

Worms, together with another man, named Hetzer, he 
translated the Prophets into the German language. 
This work was so good that Luther made liberal use of 
it in his translation. The language which he employs 
is pure and altogether free from the coarse expressions 
so characteristic of those days and so often found 
even in the writings of the reformers. Denk was a 
man of gentle disposition. He regarded it as very 
wrong to persecute anyone because of religious views. 
He was a follower of Christ in deed as well as in word. 
His favorite theme was that no one can really know 
Christ except he that follows Him in a consecrated life. 

Towards the end of the year 1527 Hans Denk died 
at Basel. Sick and feeble he had come to this place 
but learned that it was forbidden to entertain men of 
his kind. As he could go no farther, one of his old 
teachers took pity on him and provided him with a 
place where he could die. Even his enemies praised 
his amiable nature and other excellent qualities. They 
gave him credit for having been a man of great im- 
portance to his church. After his death it was said 
that the Apollo of the Anabaptists had died. 



22. BALTHASAR HUBMEIER. 

Among the other leaders of the South German 
Anabaptist congregations we note Jacob Gross, Leon- 
hard Schiemer, Eitel Hans Langenmantel, Ambrose 



— 57 — 

Spittelmaehr, Hans Hut, Ludwig Hetzer, George 
Blaurock, and, particularly, Dr. Baltahasar Hubmeier. 
All of these men showed great zeal for the cause of 
truth and sacrificed their whole time and strength in 
spreading it. All of them, and many others besides, 
who had taken part in the synod at Augsburg, died as 
martyrs. Many of them came from the old Walden- 
sians, and from the traditions of their fathers had 
learned to know the principles of true Christianity. 
Others had grown up in the Catholic Church, but in 
a remarkable manner had come through doubts and 
spiritual struggles to a true discipleship of Christ. 
Among these was Hubmeier. 

A Catholic Priest, He was born in 1480 of 
poor parents, who, however, found it possible to send 
their son to the best schools. For some time he was 
a school teacher in Schaffhausen. Then he attended 
the university and obtained the Master's degree. In 
1516 he became the preacher at the cathedral at 
Regensburg, where his eloquence pointed out a splen- 
did future for him. In the year 1521 he accepted a 
call to Waldshut on the upper Rhine. As priest he 
was very conscientious in the performance of his 
duties as he saw them. For instance, whenever a 
thunderstorm arose he took the consecrated wafers 
and stood at the church door to avert all threatening 
danger. Likewise he observed all festivals and pro- 
cessions with the greatest solemnity. 

His conversion to the Anabaptist faith was the 
result of diligent search in the Scriptures, which 
wrought in him deep convictions. When he was a 
priest he employed his leisure hours in studying the 
Holy Scriptures, particularly the letters of Paul. As 



— 58 — 

a result, his eyes were opened in regard to the evils 
common in the Roman Church. He read the writings 
of Luther and entered into correspondence with Zwing- 
li, whose reform movement he then joined. In 1524 
he introduced the simple order of the Reformed 
Church service. But when he later visited Basel and 
Zurich he got in touch with the Anabaptists. He 
compared their teachings with the Bible and found 
that they agreed with it, in fact, were more in accord 
with it than were Zwingli's. He followed his convic- 
tions, and at Easter, 1525, he was baptized by Reublin. 
He himself then baptized about 300 persons and or- 
ganized a large Anabaptist congregation at Waldshut. 

His flight. Because of this reformation at 
Waldshut, the Austrian government was greatly en- 
raged. It quickly gathered an army and attacked the 
city. Hubmeier barely succeeded in escaping. He 
fled to Zurich, where he was thrown into prison. 
Zwingli would not have anything to do with him be- 
cause he no longer agreed with him. Hubmeier was 
requested to renounce his faith and, first of all, to 
recognize infant baptism, but he refused and was kept 
in prison for a long time. He became seriously ill and, 
in a moment of weakness, partially yielded to the de- 
mands made upon him. Whereupon he was banished 
from the country. For a short time he staid in South 
Germany, mostly at Augsburg, and then went to Mor- 
avia, where many Anabaptists had found refuge. 

In Moravia Hubmeier became the leader of a con- 
gregation and enjoyed a brief time of very successful 
labor. Two noblemen, the counts of Lichtenstein, near 
Nicolsburg, received the fugitive Anabaptists on their 
estate and joined their church. The congregation 



— 59 — 

rapidly increased to the number of 15,000. While en- 
gaged in his work here, Hubmeier published many 
writings in which he presented the principles of his 
sect and especially defended adult baptism. His motto 
was, "Truth can not be crushed." 

His death. The Austrian government did not 
relax in its hatred of Hubmeier but sent word to 
Moravia that he should be arrested and brought to 
Vienna. In obedience to this order he was handed 
over to the government and thrown into prison. He 
was cruelly tortured, but remained steadfast in his 
faith. As he persistently refused to recant, he was 
burned in Vienna on March 30, 1528. His last words 
were, "Jesus, Jesus." Three days later his wife, who 
had cheered him in his last days, was drowned in the 
Danube. Hubmeier might have had an easy and com- 
fortable life in this world, but he believed with Paul: 
"What things were gain to me, these have I counted 
loss for Christ." 



23. PERSECUTIONS OF THE ANABAPTISTS 
IN SOUTH GERMANY. 

Causes. In South Germany, as well as in Switz- 
erland, the Anabaptist churches were most bitterly 
and cruelly persecuted. The causes are to be sought 
on the one hand in the hatred of truth by the Catholic 
Church, and on the other, in the intolerance of the 
Protestants. The rapid growth of the Anabaptist con- 
gregations could not fail to attract attention; for in 
a few years they had spread over all South Germany. 
Converted journeymen proved to be active missionar- 
ies and acquainted many with the pearl of greatest 



— 60 — 

price. The people in general gladly received the apos- 
tles of the Anabaptists. These men in simple garb 
came with the call to repentance and the invitation of 
the Gospel. Their clean lives proved that their teach- 
ings were right; for they demanded only what they 
themselves practiced — a consecrated life. The reform- 
ation should consist in truly following Christ, and not 
in using violent language against mass and fasting. 
In many Protestant churches conditions were so bad 
that Luther exclaimed, " Would to God that we were 
pious heathen." Yet he refused to listen to any doc- 
trine that did not agree with his ideas. 

Calumnies. The Anabaptist congregations of 
South Germany were held in grave suspicion and 
were grossly slandered and mis-represented. It was 
reported that they practiced evil things at their meet- 
ings, that their children were born with the feet of 
goats and the hoofs of cattle, and that their piety was 
pure hypocrisy. It was especially trying for them to 
be regarded as revolutionists who endeavored to des- 
troy all government, while in fact, they taught in their 
sermons and their creeds that a Christian can not 
take part in acts of violence. Because Thomas Munzer, 
a fanatical revolutionist had rejected infant baptism 
and because the Anabaptists did the same, they were 
all put into the same class, especially after some of 
Munzer's followers had joined the Anabaptists. What 
the Anabaptists wrote in defense of their faith was 
destroyed without having been read. As a result, they 
were regarded as the worst people of that time. Even 
Luther said that as one devil is not better than an- 
other, so the Anabaptists are all alike. The firmness 



— 61 — 

with which they held to their confession both Luther 
and Melanchthon regarded as satanic stubbornness. 

An imperial decree was issued at Spires in 1529 
which provided that all Anabaptists, both men and 
women, should be executed without trial. It was stated 
that this sect was an old one and that it had been 
condemned before. The Protestant governments gave 
their consent to this decree. Philipp of Hesse was an 
exception ; he thought that it was not right to execute 
a person because of his religious views. Already in 
1527 a number of Anabaptists had been imprisoned 
and executed, among them many ministers and teach- 
ers. Armed troops of horsemen scoured the country, 
searched after these defenseless Christians and killed 
them. The Duke of Bavaria said, "He that recants 
will be beheaded, but he that refuses will be burned." 
In 1530 close to 2,000 had already suffered death. 
Many of them were secretly put to death, just as if 
they were worse criminals than thieves and murderers. 
There was no longer any feeling of pity or of justice 
towards them. There is an account of a sixteen-year- 
old girl at Salzburg who could not be persuaded to re- 
cant. The judge then seized her and thrust her into 
a horse trough and held her under water until she 
was dead. Many were put into dungeons into which 
not a ray of daylight could come and there they miser- 
ably perished. 

They were so strong in the courage of their con- 
viction that neither by torture nor by death could 
they be made to waver. Their leaders, such as Hans 
Schlaffer, Leonhard Schiemer and George Blaurock, 
gladly went to their death. Many received offers of 
good positions and wealth if they would recant, but 



— 62 — 

nothing could induce them to yield. On their way to 
execution they would often sing as if going to a wed- 
ding, or they would urge bystanders to leave their sin- 
ful ways and turn to Christ. In order to prevent them 
from doing this and gaining adherents in their dying 
moments, their tongues were burned out with red- 
hot irons. 

Many voices were heard in behalf of the Ana- 
baptists in such places where their sincere piety was 
known and understood. Bucer of Strassburg, for in- 
stance, said there was no doubt that among them were 
dear children of God. Capito likewise expressed the 
opinion that among the Anabaptists there were true 
servants of God. Katherina Zell, the wife of a Strass- 
burg pastor wrote to the Protestant clergy : "The poor 
Anabaptists are hunted like wild boars, although they 
confess Christ as we do. Find the blame among your- 
selves that they separate from us." Philip of Hesse, 
in a very decided manner, expressed himself to the 
effect that among those who are called fanatics there 
was more true Christianity to be seen than among 
others. 



24. JACOB HUTTER. 

In the Tyrol, especially in the mountainous regions 
and the mines, the people suffered much from civil 
and religious oppression. They gave a hearty welcome 
to the evangelists sent by the Anabaptist churches in 
Switzerland and gladly received the Gospel as preached 
by them. Among the men that developed great ac- 
tivity was George Blaurock. The Romish Church, 
however, soon made an end of him by burning him 



— 63 — 

at the stake (1529). Many of his associates suffered 
a like fate. Of those who escaped some concealed 
themselves in the mines and others fled to Moravia. 
Under the leadership of able men a large number suc- 
ceeded in passing through Austria and reaching this 
haven of refuge. Among these leaders the most prom- 
inent was Jacob Hutter, the successor of Blaurock. 

The congregation at Nicolsburg, which had been 
gathered by Hubmeier, at the beginning received large 
additions from Switzerland and the Tyrol. A certain 
Wiedeman advanced the opinion that it was wrong for 
a Christian to give money for purposes of war. Like- 
wise he held that in accordance with the example of 
the first congregation in Jerusalem, Christians should 
have no private possessions but should hold every- 
thing in common. There were many who favored his 
teachings. These separated from the rest and went 
to Austerlitz. Wiedeman spread his mantle on the 
earth and each one threw on it whatever money he 
had. Then they built large houses which they occu- 
pied in common and called them "Bruderhoefe." Soon 
a number of these communities came into existence. 

Jacob Hutter came to Moravia from the Tyrol in 
order to become acquainted with the Anabaptists at 
that place. The congregation at Austerlitz, with their 
practice of holding their property in common, pleased 
him very much and he united with it. Other leaders 
with their followers, who had fled thither from 
Switzerland and South Germany, followed his example. 
Soon, however, they disagreed among themselves. The 
task then fell to Hutter, as the most gifted and deter- 
mined man among them, to reconcile them and exclude 
those that had become lukewarm. He repeatedly went 



— 64 — 

to Tyrol with the purpose of guiding the persecuted 
Anabaptists to Moravia. He was familiar with all 
secret paths and hiding places, and succeeded again 
and again in eluding the watchfulness of the enemies. 

A severe persecution arose in 1535 against the 
churches in Moravia. Ferdinand, the Austrian king, 
ordered them to be driven out of the country at once. 
The nobility at first attempted to shield them but 
finally were forced to permit the soldiers to carry out 
the king's orders. Hutter was together with his con- 
gregation when the persecution began. With a few 
belongings in a bundle he started out, followed by the 
members of his congregation, as a shepherd is fol- 
lowed by his flock. But they knew not whither they 
should go. They went from one forest to another, 
but could find no place to stay. Hutter wrote a letter 
to the persecutors and said, "We are persecuted be- 
cause we have given up a godless life and have devoted 
ourselves entirely to the service of God. We have no 
spear nor weapons of any kind, yet they say we want 
to engage in war. We do not know where we shall 
go with our many widows and our young children. 
Surely we can not be driven from the earth." The 
congregation finally had to separate in order to escape 
their enemies. 

Hutter's Death, Toward the end of 1535 Hut- 
ter succeeded in escaping to Tyrol, although soldiers 
were keeping watch on roads and bridges. It was 
reported that he was a tall man with a large beard 
and that he was carrying a woodchopper's axe in 
order to deceive people. His enemies said that he was 
in league with the devil, therefore he could not be 
caught. At last, however, he was taken by treachery, 



— 65 — 

and with a gag in his mouth he was brought to Inns- 
bruck. Here he was cruelly tortured. Yet in spite 
of the pain he refused to recant or to name any of 
his fellow workers. On February 25, 1536, he suf- 
fered death by fire. When he was placed on the pyre 
he said, "Now come, ye adversaries, and let us prove 
our faith in fire." In the annals of his church in 
Moravia there were written these words: "This Jacob 
Hutter has ruled the church of God for three years, 
provided it with the Word of God, and has gathered 
a people that is named after him. We are now called 
'Hutterite Brethren' and until this day we are not 
ashamed of this name." 

Further persecutions were the "daily bread" of 
the church in Moravia. In the year 1539, when a con- 
ference was held at Stainerbrunn in Austria, a large 
number were captured and condemned to serve on the 
galleys. When they took leave of their wives and 
children even the soldiers could not keep from weep- 
ing. About the year 1545 the persecution ceased in 
Moravia. In the Tyrol the Anabaptists had nearly all 
been driven out or executed. 



25. MENNO SIMONS. 

In the Netherlands, even before the time of the 
Reformation, evangelical Christianity was in favor. 
Here also some Waldensian congregations continued to 
exist. Pious men arose like Gerhard Groot and 
Thomas a Kempis, who wrote good books and started 
Christian schools. So when the seed of the Reforma- 
tion was sown here it found a fertile and well-pre- 
pared soil. The writings of Luther were read with 



— 66 — 

great eagerness. At once the remaining Waldensian 
congregations began a new activity and succeeded in 
gaining much influence. Here also they were called 
Anabaptists and were immediately persecuted. In 
1530 there were many congregations, but it is to be 
regretted that some of the leaders like Melchior Hof- 
man entertained visionary ideas. A few went to such 
extremes that they were excluded from the church. 
Among the latter Jan Matthys was the most notor- 
ious. He became the leader of a revolutionary horde 
which found its end at Munster in Westphalia. They 
took the sword, an act which was altogether against 
the principles of the Anabaptists. There was another 
man, however, who united with the Anabaptists and 
whose work among them was of such importance that 
his followers were named after him. This man was 
Menno Simons. 

A Catholic Priest, He was born in the year 
1492 at Witmarsum in Frisia. He was educated to 
be a priest and after a time came to have a position 
in his birthplace. Here he led a rather frivolous and 
thoughtless life. When he performed the duties of 
his office he frequently had doubts regarding the 
teachings of the Romish Church about the Lord's 
Supper. Yet he did not search in the Scriptures be- 
cause he was afraid he would be led astray. In the 
year 1531, however, he was brought to reflect on mat- 
ters of religion by the execution of an Anabaptist. He 
now began to read the Bible, also the writings of 
Luther. He found that the teachings of the Ana- 
baptists regarding adult baptism, etc., had good bibli- 
cal authority. In 1536 he joined them through bap- 
tism and by this step sacrificed all advantages and ex- 
pectations of honors of his position as priest. 



— 67 — 

A nomadic life full of trouble, suffering and per- 
secution was now his lot. On request of his brethren 
he began to preach and assumed control of the con- 
gregation which had suffered a great deal for want 
of wise direction. But soon the government was after 
him and put a price of a hundred guilders on his head. 
God, however, protected him in a wonderful manner. 
At one time, for instance, an informer was unable to 
say a word when Menno was passing by in a boat. 
Afterwards he exclaimed, "The bird has escaped." 
Menno, indeed, had to flee from one place to another 
almost constantly, and he himself said that for years 
he and his wife had no room which they could call 
their home. Finally he had to leave his country; in 
1543 he was at Emden and in 1546 at Cologne. From 
here he went to the Baltic sea and lived at Wismar. 
He extended his journeys to Prussia and Lithuania, 
baptized the youth and organized the churches. His 
last years he spent at Wuestenfeld, a village between 
Altona and Lubeck. 

His death occurred on January 13, 1559. In the 
last years of his life he was a cripple, having broken 
his leg, and was so poor that his brethren in Friesland 
annually sent him 60 guilders. As his wife had died 
before him, two daughters took care of him in his 
last days. No one knows where he was buried, since 
that part of the country was entirely devastated dur- 
ing the Thirty Years' War. 

His writings are very numerous. He printed them 
himself on his own printing press. Most of them are 
of a devotional character and show a thorough knowl- 
edge of the Bible. He related his separation from the 
Catholic Church and set forth all teachings in which 



— 68 — 

the Anabaptists differed from other Protestants and 
from Catholics. He also pointed out very clearly that 
they had nothing in common with the Muensterites 
and that it was pure calumny to say that the latter 
were their brethren. Menno was especially noted for 
the earnestness of his conviction and of his work. To 
be a Christian means to be thoroughly converted, to 
deny one's self, and to break with the world and with 
sin. In church discipline he was very severe. In fact, 
many of his brethren did not agree with him on this 
point. His co-workers were Obbe Philipps, Dirk 
Philipps, Gillis of Aix la Chapelle, Leendert Bouwens 
and others. The last named is said to have baptized 
about 10,000 persons. Dirk Philipps later was an elder 
at Danzig. He died in 1570. 



26. PERSECUTION OF THE MENNONITES IN 
THE NETHERLANDS. 

A story of blood and tears is the name given to 
the early history of the Anabaptists, or Mennonites, 
as they were called since 1550. The Catholic govern- 
ment was determined to destroy them. No one was 
permitted to rent a house or farm to them, or to en- 
treat for mercy for them if they were condemned to 
death by fire or sword. On the other hand, anyone 
that informed against them was to receive a third part 
of their possessions; for all Anabaptists that were 
taken were to be executed. The Duke of Alba, a Span- 
ish general, was especially notorious for the bloody 
persecutions which he caused. Thousands of the poor 
people suffered a martyr's death. 

The manner of torture and execution employed 



— 69 — 

was most cruel. The object was to compel the victims 
to recant and inform against their brethren and their 
teachers. To accomplish this they were tortured by- 
means of screws applied to their thumbs; they were 
horribly whipped and thrown into filthy prisons where, 
in many cases, they perished miserably. Commonly 
they were burned alive. Some were killed by the ex- 
plosion of gunpowder hung around their necks ; others 
were strangled at the stake. It frequently happened 
that women and girls were drowned in rivers, lakes, 
and even in large casks. Some were placed in open 
coffins and buried alive. Others were put in little 
houses of straw and then burned. Since many sang 
and prayed in a loud voice on their way to execution 
and even spoke to the people that had gathered to 
see the spectacle, their tongues were fastened with 
screws. They were like sheep led to the slaughter. 

So many examples of special faithfulness even un- 
to death are found among these martyrs that one is 
astonished at the "cloud of witnesses." In the year 
1552, a woman, Maria by name, was condemned to be 
drowned. As she was approaching the water, she sang 
joyfully that her day of deliverance had come and 
said, "I was the bride of a man, now I shall be the 
bride of Christ and shall inherit his kingdom." At 
Ghent, in the year 1576, a man whose name was 
Raphael, was taken prisoner. He was asked to give 
the names of others of his faith. When he refused, 
they stretched him on the rack and tortured him with 
chains and screws. Then they tied a rope to his toes 
and pulled ; they poured water into his mouth until he 
was almost dead. He, however, called upon God who 
gave him strength that in spite of the terrible suffer- 



— 70 — 

/ 

ing he neither betrayed a brother nor himself wavered 
in his faith. Finally, together with others, he was 
burned to death. Very touching is the story of Dirks 
Wilms, a pious man of Aspern. Because the congre- 
gation often held its meetings in his home he was to 
be arrested. While engaged in flight he came to a 
frozen stream, which he crossed. When he was on the 
other side, he looked back and saw that his pursuer 
had broken through the ice and was in danger of 
drowning. Without hesitation he turned back and 
rescued his enemy. The latter was so moved by this 
kindly act that he was on the point of letting Wilms 
go. But the burgomaster, who stood on the other side 
cried out that the man should remember his oath and 
do his duty. Wilms was then taken and in 1569 was 
burned to death. 

Anna from the Hoff was the last one to suffer 
the death of a martyr in the Netherlands. She was a 
servant in Brussels and during an imprisonment of 
two years suffered many trials because of her faith. 
As she remained firm in her belief she was put into 
a grave and at first only her feet were covered. The 
Jesuits then asked her whether she would not return 
to the Catholic faith. But she said, "No, I am glad that 
the time of my departure has come." She was then 
covered up to the neck and again asked to recant, but 
she remained firm and was then entirely covered. 
This happened in the year 1597. 

During these persecutions, meetings could be held 
only under cover of the greatest secrecy. In towns 
and villages they were held in secluded rooms, and 
along the coast the people met behind the dikes and 
on islands during rain and snow. Many were driven 



— 71 — 



out of the country, others emigrated and found homes 
near the Baltic sea, especially in Prussia. In the 
Netherlands, somewhat later, these people called 
themselves "doopgesinnte" instead of Mennonites. 



27. THE REFORMATION IN OTHER LANDS. 

Sweden. The re-discovered Gospel also became 
known in other lands. In Sweden it was spread by 
the brothers Olaf and Lorenz Peterson. Both had 
studied at Wittenberg and at home taught the truth 
they had learned abroad. One of them translated the 
Bible into their own language. Both king and people 
realized the shameful servitude to Rome under which 
they had been for so long a time. Consequently at a 
diet held at Westeras the Reformation was ushered 
in. In Denmark the change occurred in a similar 
manner. In both kingdoms the strict Lutheran doc- 
trine was adopted. 

In England the Reformation took foothold in a 
less quiet manner. At that time the profligate and 
capricious Henry VIII was king. In the beginning he 
wrote a book against Luther and was highly commend- 
ed for it by the pope. Not long after, however, when 
the pope would not give him permission to divorce 
his wife, he broke off all relations with him and in- 
troduced a reformation of his own, but retained many 
of the Catholic practices. If anyone refused to yield 
to his changes, he was punished. Under the reign 
of his successor, Edward VI, a more thorough refor- 
mation was brought about. Bishop Cranmer sent for 
two pupils of Luther, who supported him in his efforts. 
After the accession of Mary, the Catholic daughter of 



— 72 — 

Henry VIII, a time of great trial came for the Pro- 
testants. The queen was determined to eradicate all 
evangelical teachings and ordered many persons to be 
executed. Among these was Cranmer, who suffered 
death by fire. Her successor, Queen Elizabeth, who 
was a Protestant, exerted her power in the opposite 
direction and provided for the organization of the En- 
glish Episcopal Church and assumed the control of it. 
But there were many Christians to whom this form 
of worship did not seem simple enough. Therefore 
they separated from the State Church and went their 
own way. A number of these suffered death because 
they refused to acknowledge that the Church of Eng- 
land was the true church of Christ and Queen Eliz- 
abeth was its head. These separatists became known 
by various names, such as Independents, Puritans, 
Presbyterians, Baptists, etc. Later the Methodists 
and other denominations sprang into existence. 

In Scotland a strict reform was instituted in 1542 
by John Knox. The young and fascinating queen, 
Mary Stuart, attempted to hinder the reform move- 
ment and to introduce the old Catholic religion, but 
she was powerless against the earnest and determined 
stand of John Knox. The Scottish people were en- 
tirely devoted to him and his teachings. 

In the Netherlands seven provinces declared them- 
selves independent of Spanish authority and at the 
same time adopted the teachings of the Reformation. 
In 1579 they formed the Utrecht Union under William 
of Orange. Now all persecution of the Mennonites 
ceased. Maurice, the son of William of Orange, was 
especially friendly towards them and was supported 
by them with large sums of money. He valued their 



— 73 — 

diligence and energy very highly. He accepted their 
simple affirmation instead of an oath and forced no 
one to do military service and said that a state can 
only be benefitted by such quiet and peaceable citizens. 

In France much blood was shed because of the 
Reformation. The Protestants, who were mostly fol- 
lowers of Calvin, were nicknamed Huguenots and were 
both secretly and openly persecuted. In spite of all 
persecution, princes and nobles accepted the Protestant 
faith and defended it with the sword. King Charles 
IX., however, was forced to give his consent to a ter- 
rible act of cruelty. He pretended to make peace with 
the Protestants and permitted his sister to marry the 
Protestant prince Henry of Navarre. Thousands of 
the Huguenots came to Paris to be present at the 
wedding festivities. Then occurred what is known in 
history as the Massacre of St. Bartholomew. On the 
night of August 24, 1572, at a signal previously agreed 
upon, the Catholics fell upon the Huguenots and killed 
many thousands of them, men, women and children, 
the massacre extending from Paris over the rest of 
France. Somewhat later, religious freedom was grant- 
ed and some of the Waldensians united with the 
Huguenots. 

In Switzerland Calvin became the head of the Re- 
formed Church after the death of Zwingli. In 1536 he 
came to Geneva and labored there with great zeal until 
his death, which occurred in 1564. He exercised strict 
church discipline in accordance with Old Testament 
ways, making use even of civil authority to enforce 
the rules of the church. Already in 1532 the Walden- 
sian congregations of Italy had joined the Reformed 
Church and, by taking this step, they, as well as the 



— 74 — 

French Waldensians, gave up their articles of faith 
regarding adult baptism. Only the Swiss and German 
Baptists and the Dutch Mennonites retained it. 



IV- The New Era. 



28. THE WARS OF RELIGION. 

The Smalcaldic War. The altogether unbiblical 
opinion, held by both Catholics and Protestants, that 
it was permitted to enforce one's religious views with 
the sword, resulted in several bloody wars. Both par- 
ties forgot that it is a Christian duty to treat with 
respect and forbearance such persons as differ from 
them in opinion. First of all, the fault lay mostly 
with the Catholics who were not inclined to grant re- 
ligious liberty to the Protestants. When Emperor 
Charles V. threatened to make war upon the latter, 
the Protestant princes formed a league against him 
at Smalcald. But as they quarreled among them- 
selves, the emperor succeeded in defeating their army 
and captured two of the princes. He was at the point 
of destroying the Reformation, when his favorite, 
Maurice of Saxony, revolted against him and compelled 
him to yield. A religious peace was then concluded 
in 1555 at Augsburg, according to which equal rights 
were granted to both Catholics and Protestants. The 
terms of this peace, however, were of such a nature as 
to produce strife among the parties for many years. 

The Jesuits. The most relentless enemy of Pro- 
testantism arose in the order of the Jesuits, which was 



— 75 — 

founded in 1540 by Ignatius Loyala, a Spanish noble- 
man. The order was placed entirely into the service 
of the pope, and its avowed purpose was to resist the 
advance of Protestantism and to spread Catholic doc- 
trines. Acting upon their belief that the end justifies 
the means the Jesuits regarded revolt, perjury, and 
even the murder of a prince as proper if the power of 
the pope could be furthered by it. The members of the 
order were mostly highly educated men and in the 
capacity of teachers and confessors became very in- 
fluential both in the affairs of the Church and the 
State. They devoted themselves especially to the edu- 
cation of the young. Many of them went as mission- 
aries to India, China and to the Indians of America, 
but their work did not have much of the true evan- 
gelical spirit. Their activity in Europe had dire re- 
sults. In France they brought about the Massacre of 
St. Bartholomew and in Germany the Thirty Years' 
War. 

The thirty years' war broke out in 1618 in Bo- 
hemia. The causes of the war, however, may be found 
on both sides; for Protestants as well as Catholics 
failed to observe strictly the provisions agreed upon 
in their treaties. The Bohemians renounced their al- 
legiance to the emperor and chose Frederic V. of the 
Palatinate as their king. The latter was overwhelm- 
ingly defeated and was compelled to flee. The Cath- 
olic party now directed its attack upon all the Pro- 
testant countries and the cause of Protestantism 
seemed to be lost, when Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden 
came to their assistance in 1630. He defeated the 
generals Tilly and Wallenstein, but himself fell in the 
moment of victory at Lutzen on November 6, 1632. 



— 76 — 

His generals continued the war until 1648, when 
through the Peace of Westphalia, religious liberty was 
granted to Catholics and Protestants alike, excepting, 
however, the Anabaptists. 

The consequences of this war were most terrible. 
Large portions of Germany had been laid waste. Where 
villages and cities had stood, there were only heaps of 
ruins, and where had been meadows and gardens there 
were marshes and uncultivated lands. Agriculture, 
commerce, and business in general were at a stand- 
still. The population was reduced from sixteen mil- 
lions to four millions. Thousands of these lived like 
savages in forests. Only after many years of con- 
tinued effort could the elementary principles of Chris- 
tianity take hold again among the common people. 

Composers of Hymns, Yet during all these dis- 
turbances there was no lack of pious men among the 
Germans. In sorrow and tribulation many learned to 
know God and to serve him by administering to the 
sick and dying. In these decades we find a number 
of Christian poets whose hymns have become veritable 
gems to all Christianity. Among these we would men- 
tion Paul Gerhardt, George Neumark, Joachim Nean- 
der and Gerhard Tersteegen. These hymn writers 
sing of the fundamentals of Christianity, and no mat- 
ter to which denomination we belong we love them. 



29. SPENER AND FRANCKE. 

Orthodoxy. During the Thirty Years' War not 
only were there disturbances in the affairs of State, 
but there were dissensions within the Church. In 



— 77 — 

schools and churches they were zealous, not in com- 
bating sin and wickedness, but in quarreling" about 
matters of belief. They would not admit that in such 
matters even pious men may differ. One faction pre- 
sumed to be the judge of the other. They laid more 
stress on conformity of faith than on correctness of 
faith. It was by the grace of God, therefore, that a 
number of earnest, pious men arose in the Church 
who taught that, above all, one must have intimate 
fellowship with God, love for his Word, and sincere 
compassion with all that go astray. Such men were 
Johann Arndt and Gerhard Tersteegen. The former 
wrote a devotional book on true Christianity, which 
became a blessing to thousands of earnest Christians. 
Tersteegen was a weaver of ribbons and led a quiet 
life, but became a great blessing to people in ordinary 
discourse with them and in devotional meetings. It 
is said that he preached once in the Mennonite church 
at Crefeld. 

Jacob Philip Spener did more than anyone else 
to bring new life into the Evangelical Church, espec- 
ially into the Lutheran branch of it. He was born in 
Alsace and was brought up under religious influences. 
The death of a pious countess, with whom he was ac- 
quainted, made a deep impression upon him, and quite 
early in his life he yielded to the promptings of the 
spirit of God. Sunday especially was an important day 
to him. In the forenoon he went to church and in the 
afternoon wrote down his meditations on some bibli- 
cal truth. In his tw T enty-eighth year he entered the 
ministry and labored very successfully in Strassburg, 
Frankfort, Dresden and Berlin. He realized that many 
things in the Church were unscriptural, and he be- 



— 78 — 

lieved that there was a lack of really pious pastors. 
He began to instruct young people in the truths of the 
Bible and introduced the rite of confirmation. He also 
kept the needs of older people in mind. He gathered 
them in meetings in which passages of the Bible were 
studied. These meetings proved to be a great blessing 
to the people. Attendance at the prevailing amusements 
he regarded as a very serious matter. He thought 
that theater-going and dancing were unworthy 
of a Christian, who should know other pleasures than 
these. On account of such views and his determined 
stand for pure Christianity he was severely attacked, 
but he was not hindered by this from continuing his 
course until his death, which occurred in 1705. 

August Hermann Francke was Spener's pupil and 
shared his views and his suffering because of them. 
He studied theology in Leipsic and later began to give 
lectures in the German language on the Bible and 
favored discussion of the same. Because of this he 
was expelled from the city and went to Halle, where 
a university conducted according to Spener's views 
was flourishing. But here he found that the people 
were almost in a savage state, given to drinking, 
gambling and quarreling. He especially felt pity for 
the neglected orphan children. He decided, with God's 
help, to do something for them. First he began, on 
a small scale, a school for orphans; then adopted a 
number of them to be brought up in his family, and, 
finally, founded an asylum for them. He put his trust 
entirely upon God and was never disappointed in his 
confidence. He received help from all sides and a 
building was completed. Soon a school of higher learn- 
ing was added, also a printing shop and a Bible Insti- 



— 79 — 

tute. Much spiritual life developed there and as a re- 
sult, in 1706, the first missionaries were sent from 
here to India. Francke was called to his heavenly 
reward in 1727. 

Pietism is the name which was given in mockery 
to this movement fostering a deeper spiritual view of 
life in the Evangelical Church. The opponents of the 
"pietists" thought that they were too pious and that 
they were extreme in their ideas concerning Chris- 
tianity. Yet the pietists came together only at times 
that did not conflict with the regular services and 
only with the purpose to speak about the Bible and 
the spiritual experiences in their lives. In this man- 
ner they formed little churches within the Church and 
thus found opportunities to serve, each one according 
to his talents. The natural result was that a certain 
degree of seriousness became apparent in their every- 
day life, since true piety was to be sought, not in 
knowledge only, but in conversion and sanctification. 
For that reason many preachers and missionaries came 
out of the ranks of the pietists. 



30. ZINZENDORF AND THE UNITED BRETHREN. 

Denominations is a term applied to such or- 
ganizations of Christians in the Evangelical Church, 
the members of which agree not only in respect to 
essentials but also in matters of minor importance. 
There is only one Christ and only one way of salva- 
tion, and evangelical Christians do not quarrel about 
these points. On other matters, however, such as 
forms of service and church organization, earnest 



— 80 — 

Christians may differ, since our knowledge and our 
judgment in such matters is not the same. It may 
be, therefore, that one denomination comes nearer to 
the organization and efficiency of the Primitive 
Church than another. Yet, the various denominations 
should regard one another as sister churches; they 
should serve one another and learn from one another, 
even if they differ in outward forms. We note es- 
pecially one of these denominations with which our 
own is in harmony, as far as essentials are concerned, 
namely the United Brethren, or Moravian Brethren. 

The Bohemian Brethren were their forerunners. 
Let us call to mind that about the year 1500 these 
had a number of flourishing congregations. When 
Luther appeared, they were very glad of his efforts 
to reform the Church. Yet, at the beginning, they 
did not join him because he did not favor strict church 
discipline. Later, however, they became somewhat 
indifferent in regard to some important points of their 
creed. They gave up adult baptism, and in 1582, like 
the Waldensians in Italy and France, united with the 
Protestant church. Their congregations were in a 
thriving condition, but they allowed themselves to be 
drawn into political quarrels, and during the Thirty 
Years' War were almost exterminated. Their last 
bishop, Amos Commenius, a man noted for his edu- 
cational work, died in 1671. A few remaining families 
lived in Moravia under severe restrictions. Some of 
them got acquainted with the noble Saxon count 
Zinzendorf who permitted them to settle on his estate. 
This settlement they called Herrnhut. From among 
these and other Reformed and Lutheran Christians 
arose the Church of the Brethren. Love to Christ was 



— 81 — 

the important thing among them ; everything else was 
non-essential. 

Zinzendorf was born in 1700 of a noble family. 
He was early led to the Savior by his pious grand- 
mother and as a child wrote letters to him. He attend- 
ed the school at Halle under Francke and was so filled 
with the prevailing spirit that he was induced to found 
a society the purpose of which was to further the 
cause of missions. At the university of Wittenberg 
he studied law and then was sent traveling by his 
guardian to rid him of his religious vagaries. In Dus- 
seldorf he saw a painting of the crucified Christ, with 
the inscription: "This have I done for thee. What 
doest thou now for me?" This made so deep an im- 
pression upon him that he gave himself entirely to the 
service of Christ, and he declared, "I have only one 
passion, and that is He, only He." When he returned 
he renounced all honors and titles and united with the 
small congregation on his estate, even becoming their 
bishop. Under his leadership certain peculiarities de- 
veloped. The congregation was divided into "choirs"; 
that is, men, women, widows and girls, etc., formed 
separate circles. They assembled daily and devoted 
much time to singing, in which they excelled. Zinzen- 
dorf himself composed many hymns. At burials they 
would sing songs of victory, and on Easter day they 
would hold services in cemeteries before sunrise. Zin- 
zendorf died in 1760. The "Brethren" increased in 
number and spread over Germany, Russia, England 
and America, and many pious people found a sanctu- 
ary among them because there the old Gospel of the 
crucified Christ was exemplified in the lives of the 
members. 



— 82 — 

In their missionary zeal they showed such a 
power that all other denominations were put to shame. 
Zinzendorf himself went as missionary to the Indians 
in North America and was followed by Zeisberger and 
others. In 1732 Dober and Nitschmann went to the 
negroes in the West Indies. Not long after this, mis- 
sionaries were sent to Africa and Greenland. The ef- 
forts of these missionaries were crowned with wonder- 
ful success. At the present time the number of mem- 
bers in the home churches is about 32,000, while the 
members of their mission churches exceed 90,000 in 
number. 



31. BIBLE AND MISSION SOCIETIES. 

Sunday Schools. In the eighteenth century, not 
only at Halle and in the Church of the Brethren, but 
also in other places and in other circles of evangelical 
Christianity great interest in the cause of the King- 
dom of God became evident. People began to realize 
that to be a follower of Jesus meant more than merely 
knowing about him. Fellowship with Jesus should 
lead to service of love in behalf of the poor, the sick, 
the neglected and the fallen. Out of this conviction 
was born the Sunday-school movement in England. In 
the city of Gloucester, in 1782, the attention of Robert 
Raikes, a respected and pious man, was drawn to the 
many children of the factory employees, who, particu- 
larly on Sunday, spent their time on the streets. He 
formed the plan of providing instruction for them a 
few hours every Sunday. In the beginning he paid 
a woman for doing this work. Soon, however, men 
and women were found who were willing to do it out of 



— 83 — 

compassion and without pay. There were others who 
gladly furnished all the money for incidental expenses. 
Soon the arrangement was found practicable for older 
children and gradually it developed into our present 
Sunday-school system, which has proved to be a won- 
derful blessing to the Church. 

Bible Societies. Work in Sunday-school, however, 
was hindered very much by the lack of bibles. In 
many houses no bible could be found because the price 
was too great. A preacher, Charles by name, was led 
in a remarkable way to think over this matter. In 
his congregation there was a poor but pious girl. He 
found great pleasure, whenever he met her, to have 
her repeat the Scripture passage which was the text 
of his sermon on the past Sunday. One day she could 
not do this and, bursting into tears, she said that the 
weather had been so bad during the past week that 
she could not go to her aunt to learn the verses; for 
they had no bible in their own house and her aunt 
lived so far away. Charles was very much moved by 
this incident. He went to London and there took coun- 
sel with a friend how the Bible might be gotten into 
the hands of the people everywhere. The result was 
that in 1804 the great British Bible Society was found- 
ed, which, since then, has brought the Word of God 
to millions of people. In all Christian countries simi- 
lar societies were formed. Already in 1712 a Bible 
Society had been organized at Halle by a former offi- 
cer in the army. This society furnished bibles and 
testaments at low cost. 

Already in the 17th century individual missionar- 
ies went to preach the Gospel to the heathen. John 
Eliot, for instance, went to the Indians of New Eng- 



— 84 — 

land. He learned their difficult language and gath- 
ered fourteen small congregations. These, however, 
were scattered again later by the wars. Eliot died in 
1690, and today practically the only monument of his 
labor among them is his translation of the Bible into 
the Indian language. David Brainerd and others con- 
tinued the work among the Indians. Hans Egede felt 
himself called to go to the poor Eskimos in Greenland. 
Later he was followed by other missionaries of the 
Moravian Brethren. In 1792, John Carey, a poor shoe- 
maker, but an earnest disciple of Jesus and a member 
of a Baptist congregation in England, went to India 
and there founded a mission which was richly blessed 
in its results. Due to the interest aroused by the work 
of Carey the London Missionary Society was organized. 

Missionary societies were organizations which 
made it their duty to send missionaries into heathen 
lands and provide for their support. The first ones 
originated in England, such as the one already named, 
which, in 1795, sent thirty missionaries to the South 
Sea Islands. In Berlin, Pastor Janicke started a mis- 
sion school in 1800, in which young people were trained 
for service in the mission field. In Basel and Barmen 
similar institutions were founded. In 1810, in Amer- 
ica several students met at Andover near a hay- 
stack to pray for missions. As a result of that meet- 
ing a mission society was formed and eventually 
Adoniram Judson and others were sent to Burmah. In 
1820 some missionaries also went to the Hawaiian 
Islands. In fact, in our country, as well as in others, 
great activity in missionary work became evident. On 
this account the 19th century is called the "Century 
of Missions," and it deserves the name. Many mis- 



— 85 — 

sionaries became famous throughout the world, such 
as Livingstone, John Williams, John Paton, and Gutz- 
laff . In addition to the effort in the foreign field there 
was at the same time an awakening of Christian work 
at home. In 1836 the first deaconess home was found- 
ed in Kaiserswert by Pastor Fliedner. In many places 
institutions for the blind, the deaf, etc., sprang into 
being. 



32. THE MENNONITES IN HOLLAND. 

Quarrels. Turning again to the narrower limits 
of our own denomination we notice, to our regret, that 
the spirit of peace and love was often wanting, es- 
pecially during the trying times of the Thirty Years' 
War. In Holland and in Friesland there arose various 
branches among the Mennonites. In essentials they 
were united but they could not agree in matters of 
less importance. Should one have hooks and eyes or 
buttons on his clothes or ribbons or buckles on the 
shoes — such questions received too much importance. 
The matter of church discipline was taken very ser- 
iously. Many preachers, like Menno Simons, were 
very severe; others, however, thought that one could 
easily go too far and be too severe. On the one hand, 
it was profitable to discuss such matters, for it helped 
to increase knowledge ; but on the other hand, it is to 
be regretted that separations took place because of 
things of minor importance. We see, however, that 
everything pertaining to Christianity was taken very 
seriously by them. For this reason the Mennonites 
were bitterly attacked by the clergy of the State 
Church. They were regarded as dangerous people, be- 



— 86 — 

cause they refused to do military service and would 
not take the oath. Many conferences were held with 
the Mennonites regarding these things, but as their 
belief was definitely grounded on the Scriptures, they 
after all had to be left in peace. 

True Christian life in the congregations became 
evident in the sacrifices which they made because of 
their faith. They were not permitted to hold any pub- 
lic office and were compelled to have their meetings 
in secluded places. Not until the 17th century were 
they permitted to build churches, and then only in 
alleys and places hidden by other houses. They prac- 
ticed great self-denial. They allowed no large wed- 
dings, no fine clothing, and no attendance at theaters. 
To be in debt they regarded as wrong and were very 
liberal in helping the needy. In the 17th century they 
sent large sums of money to the suffering brethren 
in Switzerland and the Palatinate. They had a treas- 
ury even for the needy in foreign lands. Because of 
their diligence a Dutch statesman called them the 
"honey bees of the State." 

During the 17th and the 18th century the church 
in Holland suffered many losses in membership. Many 
of the members had become very rich. Their children 
associated with people of high standing and were at- 
tracted by their ways of living. In consequence, they 
married into non-Mennonite circles and became mem- 
bers of the State Church. In this manner the mem- 
bership was reduced from 160,000 to 40,000. 

Faithful workers, however, even in such trying 
times, were helpful in bringing new life and growth 
to the churches. Among these were some very noted 
men. Tileman von Bracht published in 1659 the 



— 87 — 

"Martyrs' Mirror," which in a short time found its 
way into almost every home. Besides the letters of 
the martyrs this book contains an account of their 
trial and execution. In 1666 Galenus de Haan found- 
ed a theological school in Amsterdam, and through it 
brought great blessings to the churches, since they 
were in need of earnest and able ministers of the 
Gospel. Cornelius Ris wrote a "Confession of Faith," 
which was adopted in 1773 by many churches and 
even today is closely followed. In those days many 
of the ministers were doctors as well. There were 
also authors and artists in the churches. 

Johann Decknatel was a noted pastor of the con- 
gregation at Amsterdam. He was born of poor par- 
ents and spent his youth in poverty. Later, when a 
preacher, he helped poor students wherever he could, 
and was the means of bringing new prosperity to the 
theological school. He wrote several books and also 
translated them into the German. When the Mennon- 
ites in Switzerland heard that he was wearing a silk 
coat, they sent several of the brethren to warn him 
against pride. But he received them so kindly that 
they could not say anything to him. With Zinzendorf 
he was on quite intimate terms. He died in 1759. 

At the present time there are about 60,000 Men- 
nonites in Holland in 130 congregations. The largest 
one is in Amsterdam. At this place there is a very 
valuable library. The theological school is still in ex- 
istence. Since the time of Napoleon the Mennonites 
are no longer exempt from military service. 



— 88 — 
33. THE MENNONITES IN PRUSSIA. 

The first Mennonite congregations in Prussia were 
served by Menno Simons. It is said that as early as 
1526 there were several Mennonite families near the 
Vistula. Soon additional families came from Holland 
and made their homes near Danzig, Elbing, Marien- 
burg and in the country farther east. This region was 
like a wilderness, covered with marshes and primeval 
forests. The annual floods of the Vistula and the 
Nogat made it almost impossible to travel through 
the country. The Mennonites, however, knew what 
to do. They dug canals, made dikes and dams, built 
watermills and in a short time changed the swamp 
into productive fields. The Prussian government saw 
the advantage of having such thrifty and industrious 
people within its borders and it sent an official invi- 
tation to the Mennonites in Holland to come to Prussia. 
In answer to this invitation, in 1560, there came a 
large group of families and leased the royal estate 
Tiegenhof between Elbing and Danzig. Others came 
from Moravia and settled near Marienburg. At the 
end of the 16th century a number of flourishing con- 
gregations were to be found in Prussia. As early as 
1586 the congregation at Montau was permitted to 
erect a church building. 

Very soon attacks of various kinds were made 
upon them. Some of the clergy of the State Church, 
for instance, said that the devil had sent the Mennon- 
ites into the country and that they should be driven 
out because they taught false doctrines. Some Men- 
nonites had settled in Elbing and Danzig and followed 
the trades. Soon the citizens accused them of taking 
away their bread. Yet, in spite of such jealousies 



— 89 — 

there were always some persons that appreciated the 
Mennonites because of their quietness and diligence 
and protected them. But in 1676 matters seemed to 
take a turn for the worse. An official in Poland as- 
serted that the Mennonites, because they were here- 
tics, were the cause of the breaking of the dikes and 
the consequent floods. The nobility agreed with him 
and demanded their expulsion. In 1694 the king, how- 
ever, decreed that the Mennonites should continue in 
the free exercise of their religious belief. 

A quiet Christian life was the rule among the 
congregations. They lived secluded from the world 
and took no part in amusements. Instead of appearing 
before the courts, they brought their disputes before 
their preachers for settlement. Since they exercised 
strict church discipline, it was very seldom that a thief 
or a criminal of any other sort was found among them. 
Their children were brought up in strict piety and 
were taught that it is a Christian's duty to work and 
to avoid places where strong drink was sold. Conse- 
quently their farms were always in good condition. A 
court official once said that one could easily see where 
an ordinary drunken peasant lived and where one of 
the diligent Mennonites. In the year 1750, after hav- 
ing retained the Dutch language for nearly two hun- 
dred years, they began to use the German language 
in their services. 

Gerrit Roosen. A Mennonite congregation was 
also formed in the large city of Hamburg. Many of the 
members were the owners of ships and were engaged 
in the whale fisheries. Once when they were in need 
of a new church they promised to devote a certain part 
of their catch to that purpose, and behold, their profit 



— 90 — 

had never been as great as it was that year. About 
the year 1700 a gifted preacher, Gerrit Roosen, was 
in charge of this congregation. He was a merchant, 
but devoted himself to the duties of the church with 
great faithfulness. He frequently visited the differ- 
ent congregations and besides doing his other work 
he wrote several books. He died in 1711 nearly a 
hundred years old. 

During the Napoleonic war the Mennonites were 
brought into great distress. Already in the years 
preceding they had suffered various persecutions, and, 
beginning in 1786, many emigrated to Russia. In 
the march of the French army towards Russia their 
farms were plundered and they themselves were or- 
dered to join the army. This, however, they refused 
to do. They willingly gave horses, money and other 
things as long as they had anything to give, but they 
would not violate their conscience or do anything con- 
trary to their faith. On this account they had to en- 
dure much ridicule. The government was of the opin- 
ion that the Mennonites ought to fight against Na- 
poleon, but they declared that even in self-defense they 
could not kill an enemy. On their payment of large 
sums of money the king pressed the matter no 
farther. 

In more recent times, however, many forsook the 
principles of their fathers and were drawn into the 
ways of the world. A large number emigrated to Rus- 
sia and others to America. At the present time they 
number about 13,000 in all the congregations. They 
also are brought more closely together by conferences 
and mission meetings. In 1853 a minister at Danzig, 
Manhardt by name, founded the first Mennonite per- 
iodical in Europe published in the German language. 



— 91 — 
34. THE MENNONITES IN RUSSIA. 

Chortitz. In the year 1786 the Russian empress, 
Katherine II., invited the Mennonites in Prussia to 
come to Russia and settle there. Since she promised 
them freedom of conscience and certain civic privi- 
leges, they regarded this invitation as a sign from 
God, who in this manner showed them a special favor. 
Two men, Hoeppner and Bartsch, were sent as depu- 
ties to Russia to investigate. Their report was favor- 
able and in 1789 several villages with about a hundred 
families were started on the little stream Chortitz, 
near the Dniepr. The beginning, however, was diffi- 
cult. When their boxes came they found that they 
had been opened, emptied of their contents and filled 
again with worthless things. They suffered contin- 
ually from thieving Russians. As they knew nothing 
of agricultural conditions in Russia, they lived for a 
long time in great poverty. When the first baptismal 
service was to be performed it was learned that the 
elder who was to officiate had nothing to put on his 
feet. Two brethren with more means then presented 
him with a pair of boots. Some of the people had 
come there with the expectation of getting rich in a 
short time, and when this did not happen, they ac- 
cused the deputies of dishonesty. Consequently dis- 
agreeable quarrels arose. Only after several decades 
did the colony reach a state of affluence. 

Molotschna. In the year 1800 Emperor Paul L 
in an official document assured the Mennonites that 
they should forever enjoy freedom of conscience and 
be exempt from military service. This promise in- 
duced many others to come. In 1803 a large group 
of families came and established eighteen villages 



— 92 — 

near the Molotschna, not far from the Sea of Azov. 
They were surrounded in part by Tartars and in part 
by other immigrants from Germany. Many of the 
newcomers were wealthy. Consequently the colony on 
the Molotschna soon began to flourish and to become 
famous. The villages were all arranged on the same 
plan. Every house was surrounded by a garden, and 
in the midst of the village stood the schoolhouse and 
usually the church. Immediately around the village 
were the vegetable gardens and the forests, and after 
these came the meadows and the grain fields. Order, 
diligence and cleanliness were special characteristics 
of the people — a precious legacy inherited from their 
fathers. 

A quiet Christian life prevailed in these villages, 
which in the course of a few years had increased to 
the number of fifty, due to fresh immigrations from 
Prussia. Altogether there were about nine congre- 
gations. In these the old organizations of the home 
churches were retained. Quarrels were avoided by all 
possible means and it was very seldom that a case was 
brought before the Russian courts. The villages 
helped one another in various ways, such as lending 
money at low interest. A society was organized the 
purpose of which was to improve the condition of the 
village schools and to found advanced schools. The 
communities were blessed by the service of many pious 
men who labored among them as teachers and as 
elders in the congregations. Among the latter Johann 
Harder at Ohrloff and Lenzman at Gnadenfeld de- 
serve special mention. 

Not all conditions, however, were ideal or re- 
mained so. Many of the people were very reluctant 



— 93 — 

to make any contributions for the support of school 
or church, regarding a well-ordered farm as more im- 
portant than active Christian life. New movements, 
such as foreign missions, were not looked upon with 
favor by the churches, with the exception of a few 
small circles. On the other hand, quarrels became fre- 
quent and various worldly activities found favor in 
the villages. And so it came about that various cir- 
cles separated themselves and organized new congrega- 
tions, calling themselves "Brethren/ 

Severe trials regarding matters of faith also 
came upon them when in the beginning of the seven- 
ties the Russian government made efforts to draw 
them gradually into military service. When their dep- 
uties appeared in St. Petersburg they were told they 
had to do something, even if they would not fight 
with weapons in hand. Thousands of them then, in 
1874, emigrated to America. A few went to Turkes- 
tan. The majority, however, remained and were sat- 
isfied to perform their duties to the State in doing 
work in the forests. The work of the young men who 
were called for service, consisted chiefly of planting 
and cultivating trees. During their term of service 
they stood under the religious care of their own min- 
isters. In what position they will be after the disturb- 
ances arising from the World War have become settled 
we can not tell now ; undoubtedly there will be a great 
change. 

At present there are in Russia about 70,000 Men- 
nonites. Most of them live in the colonies Chortitz 
and Molotschna. Many of them have found their way 
into the Crimea, to the banks of the Volga, to Ufa 
near Orenburg, to the Kuban and to the western shore 



— 94 — 

of the Caspian Sea. In all congregations they now 
take part in foreign missions. They have their con- 
ferences in which matters of vital importance come 
up for discussion. 



35. MENNONITES IN SWITZERLAND. 

Persecutions of every sort were the daily lot of the 
Mennonites in Switzerland until comparatively recent 
times. They were found chiefly in the Cantons of Basel, 
Zurich and Bern. Both the government and the inhabi- 
tants of these Cantons belonged to the Reformed 
Church. They, however, denied to others the freedom 
of conscience which they demanded for themselves. 
Consequently, one order after another was issued a- 
gainst the Mennonites, and always with increasing se- 
verity. After the battle of Cappel in 1531 they had 
achieved some freedom and in consequence increased 
rapidly in number. In the State Church matters were 
in pitiful condition. Old and young were given to 
swearing, cursing and other disgraceful practices, 
while the Mennonites insisted upon a quiet, serious and 
pious life. But since they refused to take part in war 
and to take the oath and would not give up their own 
congregations, they were declared to be dangerous to 
the State and were ordered either to join the Reformed 
Church or leave the country. Whoever would return 
should be scourged with rods, thrown into prison and 
executed. Many fled to Alsace and the Palatinate and 
there organized new congregations. 

A large number were condemned to serve as galley 
slaves. The government sent them to the Italian or 



— 95 — 

French ships on which they were chained to the row- 
ers' benches and compelled to handle the oars under 
the hot rays of the sun. Frequently they were placed 
together with the vilest criminals. Regarding them- 
selves as free citizens of a free land they often at- 
tempted to escape persecution by flight, but love of 
wife and children outweighed every danger and they 
returned. Besides they could count on the assistance 
of other people, who regarded them as "holy people" 
and thought it was wrong to persecute them. 

Hans Landis was the last of the Mennonite mar- 
tyrs. He was a preacher and had been exiled, but he 
returned and was condemned to death. The execution- 
er gave him a chance to escape but he said that he did 
not know where to go and was not afraid to die. Even 
if he would escape now, other officials would immedi- 
ately take him, and so, in the year 1614, he calmly met 
his death. 

The Mennonites in Holland aided their persecuted 
brethren in a manner that reflects great credit upon 
themselves. In the year 1641 they heard that many 
were in prison and were cruelly treated. They remem- 
bered them in their prayers in the churches and collect- 
ed money for them. Through their influence the Dutch 
government sent a protest to the Swiss government 
against the cruel treatment of the Mennonites because 
of their faith. This protest helped so much that for 
a short time a chance was given to emigrate. A large 
number made use of the opportunity and, with the aid 
of the Dutch brethren, they found homes in the Pala- 
tinate. 

Towards the close of the 17th century, however, 



— 96 — 

the Mennonites were again treated with great sever- 
ity. They were forced to bring their children for bap- 
tism and to give up their church organization. Their 
preachers were to be caught and imprisoned, and any- 
one that would inform against one of them was liber- 
ally rewarded. They then began to hold their meetings 
in ditches and thickets. Again the Dutch government 
was prevailed upon to remonstrate, and as a result per- 
mission was granted to them to emigrate. In conse- 
quence, about 350 of them left their country in 1711 
and settled in Holland. 

In 1693 a serious rupture was caused by Jacob 
Ammon of Alsace. He was of the opinion that the con- 
gregations had become too worldly and too lax in their 
discipline. He therefore demanded a strict observance 
of certain rules regarding dress and a separation from 
others. He who would not obey the regulations should 
be excluded from the church. On their clothing they 
should have hooks and eyes instead of buttons and on 
their shoes, strings instead of buckles. He himself la- 
ter admitted that perhaps he had been too severe. His 
severity, however, was justified in part, for life among 
the peasants in the villages was heathenish rather 
than Christian. The new sect was generally called the 
"Amish Mennonites, or simply the "Amish". 

At the present time there are in Switzerland only 
eight congregations with about 1500 persons. Hun- 
dreds of families emigrated in the course of the 18th 
and the 19th century, chiefly to North America, where 
they settled in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. In 
Switzerland the largest congregations are found at 
Emmental near Langnau and on the Jura. They have 
introduced Sunday-schools, song festivals and confer- 



97 — 



ences. In case of war they offer to do voluntary work 
in hospitals. 



36. THE ANABAPTISTS and MENNONITES IN 
MORAVIA and SOUTH GERMANY. 

In Moravia, during the second half of the 16th 
century, the congregations enjoyed peace. The Hut- 
terites, for instance, found it possible to establish one 
colony after another. They continued to live there in a 
quiet, diligent and pious life in the manner of their 
fathers. They were highly esteemed as farmers, vint- 
ners and day-laborers. They made the best leather 
goods and cloth and the best knives and scythes. No- 
body knew better than they how to build and equip 
mills. Moravia seemed to them to be the "Canaan" of 
the children of God. Every year they sent out messen- 
gers into the neighboring countries to solicit members 
and invite them to come to Moravia. In numerous cases 
these apostles were captured and executed. The Hutter- 
ites were very positive that their church organization 
was the only correct one. It is said that at the close of 
the 16th century there were 80,000 of them in all the 
colonies. This number, however, seems exaggerated to 
some who think there were not more than 20,000. 

These congregations had to endure cruel persecu- 
tions during the Thirty Years' War, and after its close 
they suffered from the Turks. In 1622 all Anabap- 
tists were driven out of Moravia. They were forced 
to leave their homes in the midst of winter and hardly 
knew how to keep themselves alive. The other inhab- 
itants of the land, instead of showing sympathy, de- 



— 98 — 

clared that they were rightly punished and that they 
should be executed and burned. By the grace of God 
they were permitted to find a home in Hungary, where 
they established new communities. But here also, af- 
ter a short time, rough soldiers fell upon them, carried 
away their property, burned their buildings and even 
killed some of the brethren. Later the Turks treated 
them with still greater cruelties and carried away 
many of their women and girls, some of whom never 
returned. 

It is sad to note how in the 18th century these con- 
gregations fell to pieces. Various causes brought a- 
bout such a condition. First of all it was very difficult 
for the Hutterites to bring up their children in the cus- 
toms and the faith of the fathers, as they were alto- 
gether surrounded by Slavic people who were strict 
Catholics. Consequently, many left the communities, 
and the practice of holding their property in common 
fell into disuse in course of time. Besides, the Catho- 
lic government attacked them because of their peculi- 
arities. It ordered that the children should be baptiz- 
ed by Jesuits and should become Catholics. When the 
congregations refused to do this their churches were 
closed, their preachers imprisoned and all who would 
not come to the Catholic service were scourged with 
rods. Many then escaped and found a new home in 
South Russia. In Hungary, the rest, only 137 persons 
in number, formally went over to the Catholic Church 
in 1782. In 1874 the Hutterites of other places all em- 
igrated to America and settled in South Dakota, where 
there are several large and prosperous communities. 

In South Germany the churches also had to endure 
severe persecutions during the 16th century. This was 



— 99 — 

declared entirely proper by men who otherwise were 
regarded as very pious. In Strassburg, however, au- 
thorities were more tolerant. Philipp of Hesse also de- 
clared he would not permit anyone to be executed on 
account of his faith. But in Catholic countries, in Ba- 
varia, for instance, the usual method was pursued. 
Some were burned because they left the Catholic 
Church or because they wanted to celebrate the Lord's 
Supper as Christ had done and not as the Catholic 
Church prescribed. The last martyrs here were two 
Moravian apostles, Marcus Eder and Heinrich Polt- 
zinger, who were beheaded in 1605. A woman suffer- 
ed a similar fate in 1618 near Lake Constance because 
she wanted to join the Hutterites in Moravia. Event- 
ually many went over to the Reformed Church, and 
during the Thirty Years' War the remaining congrega- 
tions were practically wiped out. 

New congregations, however, began to flourish 
here in the second half of the 17th century, due to the 
hundreds of Mennonites that were driven out of 
Switzerland and were allowed to settle in Alsace and 
the Palatinate. In the majority of cases they were 
very poor and suffered much from want. The breth- 
ren in Holland supplied them with money and food. 
Since they were diligent and thrifty and in a short time 
became comparatively well-to-do, they had to suffer 
much from their jealous neighbors. They were heav- 
ily taxed; they were not allowed to attend higher 
schools and could not talk to others about their faith. 
Many then emigrated to America, having received help 
from Holland. Those that stayed tried to remain faith- 
ful in their belief as well as they could, especially in 
the matter of non-resistance. But in more recent 



— 100 — 

times they yielded to pressure and were induced to per- 
form military duties like the rest. 

At the present time there are in South Germany, 
that is, in Hesse, Bavaria, Baden, and the Palatinate, 
about thirty congregations, some large and some small. 
To this number are to be added about twenty-five con- 
gregations in Alsace and France. What the condition 
of these congregations is at the present time after the 
close of the great war, we can not tell. Some of them 
were in the very path of the conflicting armies and 
without question had to suffer very much. Apparent- 
ly all their able-bodied men had to join the army on the 
one side or the other. In the Palatinate, on the "Wei- 
erhof", the Mennonites are supporting a so-called 
"Realschule." Farther down the Rhine there are con- 
gregations at Neuwied and Cref eld, also in East Frisia 
at Emden, Norden and Leer. The one at Cref eld num- 
bers about 1100 souls. Many members of these con- 
gregations are rich and belong to the better classes. 



37. THE MENNONITES IN AMERICA. 

Germantown. The first settlement of Mennonites 
was made in 1662 at Horekil, Delaware, by immigrants 
from Amsterdam. This settlement, however, was de- 
stroyed by the English. The first permanent settle- 
ment was made at Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1683. 
Thirteen families came from Cref eld under the leader- 
ship of Daniel Pastorius and in part laid the founda- 
tion of the city of Philadelphia. They and the Quak- 
ers had much in common as regards manner of life and 
religion. They often held their services together. In 



— 101 — 

1688 their church organization seems to have been per- 
fected and William Rittenhouse was chosen as their 
first minister. This man was very active both in the 
affairs of the church and the community. He, togeth- 
er with several others, in 1690 built the first paper 
mill in America. In 1919 a monument was erected in 
his honor at the Germantown meeting house. Daniel 
Pastorius, joined by three other Mennonites, in 1688 
presented the first protest against slavery. Most of 
the earlier immigrants were weavers by trade and soon 
found work in their line. A few years later others 
came from Hamburg and the Palatinate. As these 
knew something about farming and the culture of the 
grape, the activities of the settlers became more varied 
and resulted in greater prosperity and the founding of 
other settlements. 

One of the great needs of the settlers was books. 
They had not even a bible for their meeting house and 
in all homes there was a lack of bibles, testaments and 
hymnals. They turned to Amsterdam for help, but 
there was no immediate help in sight. The American 
brethren then took the proper course — they helped 
themselves. Christopher Sauer, from Westphalia, in 
1743 printed the first German bible in America, forty 
years before the first English bible. The second Ger- 
man book published in America was the Mirror of Mar- 
tyrs, which was translated from the Dutch. It appear- 
ed in 1748 and in a short time a copy was found in al- 
most every family. 

Christopher Dock was a very able teacher in the 
new settlement. After his arrival in America he fol- 
lowed a trade for a while, but soon found his work in 
the school room. For several months in the year he 



— 102 — 

gathered the children of the colony in the simple meet- 
ing house and taught them. In his methods he was 
far in advance of the ordinary school teacher of the 
times. He kept the children interested in their work 
and rarely found occasion to use the rod, which at that 
time was regarded a necessary means of education. 
He influenced the children much by his piety. He was 
noted for his gentleness, and people said that he never 
got angry. He wrote a book on pedagogy — the first of 
its kind in America. In this book many ideas were ad- 
vanced which even to-day are regarded new in pedago- 
gy. In 1771 death came to him in the school room. One 
evening he failed to come home. They looked for him 
in the school room and found him on his knees, dead. 
He reached the advanced age of 80 years. On the same 
place where stood Dock's little school house now stands 
the simple little church of the Mennonites in German- 
town. 

In later days the settlers had difficulties with the 
Indians and with the government. At the beginning 
the Mennonites, like the Quakers, lived at peace with 
the Indians. But when one war after another broke 
out with the Indians, the Mennonite settlements were 
not spared. A numerous group had settled in a lonely 
region of Virginia. The settlement was destroyed and 
the people were massacred. Also in Pennsylvania a- 
bout fifty were killed and many lost all their property. 
They again applied to Holland for help and received it. 
In the War of the Revolution the new government in- 
sisted on placing the Mennonites into the army, but 
they steadfastly persisted in saying that with them 



— 103 — 

it was a matter of conscience not to fight. Finally 
they were left in peace. 

Other settlements were made later farther west 
in Pennsylvania and in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, 
and even in Canada. Large numbers came from Swit- 
zerland and the Palatinate. In the 19th century many 
removed from the Eastern States farther west and in 
consequence of this removal in some places only a few 
Mennonite families are left where formerly were large 
congregations. It is to be regretted that frequently 
in the search for earthly welfare the main thing be- 
came secondary and school and church did not receive 
the support due them. Yet everywhere, even today, 
the Mennonites are known for their simple life and for 
their thrift and honesty. 

Interest in the building up of the Kingdom of God 
received a new impulse about the middle of the 19th 
century. In Pennsylvania John H. Oberholzer started 
a religious paper called the "Religioeser Botshcafter" 
and in Indiana John F. Funk started a Mennonite pub- 
lishing house in which the books of Menno Simons and 
the Mirror of Martyrs were printed. Also by means 
of conferences a closer union among the congregations 
was brought about. In the year 1861 the General Con- 
ference of Mennonites was organized, the purpose of 
which was, first of all, to engage in foreign missions 
and to found a school of higher learning. Likewise the 
"Old Mennonites," the Amish and other branches of 
Mennonites have their own conferences. 

At the present time there are in the United States 
about 120,000 Mennonites of all kinds and in Canada 
over 31,000. Since 1874 hundreds of families have 
come from Russia and Prussia and found homes in the 



— 104 — 

Western States, in Manitoba and other provinces of 
Canada. Among the immigrants from Russia many 
were poor and received liberal financial aid from the 
American brethren. All these have been trying to keep 
up the German language by means of parochial schools. 
During the recent war with Germany, however, the 
German language was excluded in many places. Several 
academies and colleges have been founded by the Men- 
nonites of America. Practically all congregations still 
emphasize the principle of non-resistance, but during 
the recent war were put to a severe test. 



V. Mennonite Foreign Missions. 



38. JAVA. 



Only in comparatively recent times did the Men- 
nonites recognize the duty and feel the desire of bring- 
ing the Gospel to the heathen nations. In almost all 
countries in which they lived they had been oppressed 
and persecuted and often hardly had known how to 
preserve themselves. When interest in missions was 
once aroused, in some circles, they first supported so- 
cieties not of their own denomination. For instance, 
in Holland a mission society was organized in 1825, 
which sent its support in money to a Baptist society 
in England. In Prussia money was collected for mis- 
sions carried on by the Moravians, and in Russia the 
support was given to the society at Barmen. Finally, 
however, the Mennonites began to reach out for them- 
selves and started missions of their own. 



— 105 — 

In the year 1847 a Mennonite mission society was 
founded in Holland, which, in 1851, sent the first mis- 
sionary, P. Jansz, to the island of Java. He came to 
the northeastern part of the island near Japara and 
there began to learn the language of the natives and 
to preach to them the Gospel of Jesus. Java is a beau- 
tiful island with a rich tropical vegetation. Rice does 
well there and forms the main article of food of the 
people. Other products are indigo, cotton, tobacco, 
spices and quinine. The island has more than 21,000, 
000 of inhabitants. 

Mission work on Java proved to be a very difficult 
problem. The hot climate enervates not only Euro- 
peans but also the natives. The Javanese are natural- 
ly lazy, dull and suspicious of strangers, and, besides, 
they are thievish, immoral and very superstitious. In 
derision they often said to the missionary when he 
preached to them, "That does not suit us", or, "We do 
not want to go to the Dutch heaven." Young and old 
are users of opium to such an extent that one of the 
last services done to a dying man is to give him the 
opium pipe that he may stupefy himself. The Euro- 
pean officials on the island were also unfriendly to- 
wards the efforts of the missionaries. 

Yet in spite of such difficulties there were beauti- 
ful results. Even in the degraded Javanese there is 
after all a desire for salvation which can be satisfied 
only in Christ. On the 10th of April, 1854, Missionary 
Jansz had the great pleasure of baptizing the first 
fruits of his labor, a man and four women. This, then, 
was the beginning, although only a small one, of the 
first native church in Java. Missionary Jansz also 
started a school in the thickly settled district. A Dutch 



— 106 — 

teacher, Schuurmans, with his wife, came to Java and 
took charge of the school until compelled by sickness 
to return to Europe. The school brought much joy to 
the missionaries but also much sorrow, for many of 
the pupils persisted in their evil, heathenish practices. 
The growth of the number of converts was rather slow. 
In twenty-five years the congregation increased to 
seventy-five members. During his last twenty years 
Missionary Jansz devoted himself to literary work. He 
translated the entire Bible into the Javanese and pub- 
lished a Javanese grammar and other school books. 
All his literary efforts are highly valued and the Dutch 
government conferred upon him the highest order of 
the State. During the whole time of his service he nev- 
er visited Europe, but remained on his field of labor. 
There he celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his ser- 
vice as a missionary. On the 7th of June, 1904, he was 
called to his heavenly home. 

Other laborers on the Javanese mission field are 
the following: P. A. Jansz, the son of the old mission- 
ary, and three men from Russia, namely, Fast, Hue- 
bert and Klaassen. Jansz has been at work since 1878 
and has suffered many trials. His wife and two sons 
died within a short time and he himself endured much 
from illness. He took charge of the station Mergared- 
ja and founded a community where the natives were 
instructed in agriculture and the principles of a Chris- 
tian life. Later two other similar colonies were or- 
ganized. These colonies proved to be successful and 
have exerted a Christian influence upon the surround- 
ing country. Missionary Fast came in 1888 and gave 
his time mostly to preaching among the heathens. For 
some time he was stationed at Mergaredja, where he 



— 107 — 

built a beautiful church. Later he directed the work 
on the station Kaja-apu. Huebert arrived in Java in 
1893 and since then is at work on the station Kedung- 
pendjalin. Then in 1899 Klaassen came to Mergaredja 
and devoted himself especially to the care of the sick. 
On all of the stations the missonaries were helped by- 
native workers, both teachers and preachers. In 1903 
the Mennonite congregations had increased to about 
190 members. 

Mergaredja is a Christian village founded by P. A. 
Jansz. Heathen families also are permitted to live 
there, provided they comply with the regulations gov- 
erning the village. In this manner it is possible to 
shield children and young people against heathen in- 
fluences. The village includes a hundred families or 
more. At the head of the village is a Javanese over- 
seer, who, however, is responsible to the missionary. 
The land has been leased from the government. The 
school in recent years had about 200 pupils, with six 
native teachers. The children are especially fond of 
singing. Many Christian songs and hymns have been 
translated into the Javanese. At this place there is 
also a seminary where Christian teachers are prepared. 
In 1915 it had 39 students. P. A. Jansz was superin- 
tendent of this school until 1915, when his nephew C. 
P. Jansz arrived to relieve his uncle of the overwhelm- 
ing work. 

Taking care of the sick among Christians and 
heathens is a special part of mission work in Java. In 
Mergaredja there is a hospital which formerly was un- 
der the management of Missionary Klaassen but is now 
supervised by Sister H. Goosen. Another hospital was 
started at Kedung under the care of Huebert. Here as 



— 108 — 

many as 485 sick persons received treatment in one 
year. In 1915 a central hospital was built at Kelet 
which is conducted by Dr. Bervuts and in which eight 
native nurses and four helpers are employed. A leper 
asylum was also built in the same year in Dono Rodjo 
and R. W- de Clerq of Haarlem was made superintend- 
ent. These hospitals accomplish a great deal of good, 
although there is also some cause for discouragement. 
Many of the heathen, when in great affliction, promise 
to become Christians if they are helped, but very often 
forget their promise when they get well. Yet, after 
all, the missionaries are not discouraged, but keep on 
doing good and preaching the Gospel. In 1915 there 
were eight congregations in Java with 379 adult mem- 
bers, 64 having been baptized in 1914. There are eight 
native helpers and twenty-three native teachers, with 
more than 650 pupils in school. 



39. SUMATRA. 

The Dutch Missionary Society has its official 
home in Amsterdam and the members of the board 
also reside there. Yet, from the beginning, they tried 
to interest the Mennonites of other countries in Eu- 
rope in their work and met with a good deal of success. 
One congregation after another in Germany began to 
contribute liberally and began to regard the work of 
the society as their own. The assistance given by the 
congregations of South Russia has also been of the 
greatest importance. In the year 1903 the treasury 
had an income of 30,000 guilders. Of this sum 8,000 
guilders came from Holland and 12,000 from Russia. 



— 109 — 

Because of this assistance the Dutch committee found 
it possible to establish a new mission on Sumatra. 

Sumatra is one of the most beautiful and fertile 
islands of the world. Here we find lofty mountains 
and broad valleys. Here there are large plantations 
which produce excellent rice and coffee. In the west- 
ern and northern parts of the island the intelligent Ba- 
taks live in large villages. Each of these villages has 
a separate government under a Radja or chief. The 
Bataks have many stories about the creation and about 
their own history. Their religion consists chiefly of a 
superstitious fear of evil spirits, the Begus. Original- 
ly they were fierce cannibals. The first missionaries, 
Munson and Lyman, who came from America in 1834, 
they killed and ate. In more recent years, Mohammed- 
anism has gotten a large following among them. This 
religion permits polygamy and in other respects favors 
their evil ways of living. For that reason the Gospel 
finds a hard and stony ground among the Bataks. 

Pakanten is the name of the first missionary sta- 
tion on Sumatra. It is situated near the middle of the 
island, right on the equator. Missionary Heinrich Dirks 
from South Russia founded this station in 1871. The 
Radjas received him very kindly, but said right at the 
start that they would not become Christians. But the 
Word of God soon showed its power over the hearts of 
this people. Already in August three Bataks were 
baptized and at Christmas five more. Dirks established 
a school, which was well attended. The congregation 
also began to prosper and in a short time sent out 
teachers and evangelists. Missionary Dirks after ten 
years of labor returned to Russia and became the pas- 
tor of a large congregation at Gnadenfeld, serving at 



— 110 — 

the same time as field worker of the Mennonite mis- 
sion society. He was able to arouse such an interest in 
missions that a number of young men prepared for the 
work and that the main support of the Mennonite mis- 
sion of Holland continued to come from Russia. 

The work on the island continued slowly but stead- 
ily. For several years the station was in charge of a 
missionary named Irle. In 1888 Missionary Nikkei 
came from Russia and devoted himself to the work 
with great zeal. He lived among the Bataks like one 
of them, slept on the ground as they did and ate out 
of the same dish with them. In the year 1893 he bap- 
tized thirty candidates. But it was not all joy; he had 
also some bitter experiences. Some of his church 
members were guilty of gross sins and had to be put 
out of the congregation. Among these were some of 
his helpers. Because of quarrels in the congregation, 
he at one time refused to observe Christmas and post- 
poned the giving of presents until the following year. 

Maura Sipongi is the name of the second station 
on Sumatra. It was established in 1890 by N. Wiebe, 
about three hours journey west of Pakanten among 
the Ulus, a degraded and dull-minded tribe. Among 
them the men are the slaves of the women. At first 
they were very suspicious. They believed that for ev- 
eryone that was baptized the missionaries would re- 
ceive a sum of money. Only after six years of hard 
labor could the first ones be baptized. Soon others 
followed; even a chief came for baptism. Wiebe also 
founded a Christian village which in a short time was 
in a flourishing condition. In 1901 Missionary Thies- 
sen came from South Russia and took charge of both 



— Ill — 

stations while Nikkei and Wiebe were on furlough in 
Europe. He devoted himself earnestly to his work. 
His wife held meetings with the women and gave them 
instruction in the Bible and taught them sewing. Da- 
vid Dirks, the son of the first missionary, Heinrich 
Dirks, is now 7 at work on the island. At present we 
have no means of telling how many converts there are, 
but most likely there is a considerable number. In 
1914, twenty-eight were baptized and 222 pupils were 
in school. There are five native helpers and nine 
teachers. 

About two thirds of the expenses of the Holland 
Mennonite mission had been supplied by the brethren 
in Russia. The World War, however, cut off all com- 
munication with Russia and, consequently, all support. 
All reports indicate that the Mennonites of Russia are 
financially ruined and for years may not be able to 
recuperate, while the Mennonites in Germany, who had 
also aided in the support, will be under hard financial 
and industrial pressure and will not be able to do much 
for missions. Since the outbreak of the war the work 
has been sustained by the few brethren in Holland, 
but they can not do so in the future. Consequently 
the outlook of this prosperous and successful mission 
is rather gloomy at present. It may yet become the 
duty and the privilege of the American Mennonites to 
take part in mission work in Java and Sumatra. 



40. AMONG THE ARAPAHOES AND CHEYENNES. 
(General Conference.) 

In America an active interest in foreign missions 



— 112 — 

was awakened in the middle of the 19th century. In 
various States and in Canada thoughtful men came to 
realize that it is the duty of Christian people to bring 
the Gospel also to the heathen. Meetings were held 
and money was collected to further this cause. Samuel 
S. Haury, one of the students at Wadsworth, Ohio, 
where the first Mennonite school of higher learning 
had been started, declared himself willing to serve the 
Lord as missionary among the heathen. He went to 
Barmen, Germany, where he completed his studies. In 
1875 he returned to America and began to look around 
for a place where a mission station might be estab- 
lished. He went to Alaska to investigate the field there. 
As a result of his trip he came to the conclusion that 
after all it was best to begin among the Indians in 
what was then the Indian Territory. 

Among the Arapahoes at Darlington, a govern- 
ment agency, in 1880, Missionary S. S. Haury estab- 
lished the first mission station of the Mennonites in 
America. This tribe, which numbered about 1700 souls, 
a short time before had been brought here from Wy- 
oming by the Government. They were partly support- 
ed by the Government and were supposed to learn ag- 
riculture and cattle raising. For that reason it was 
thought best by the Mission Board to place the Indian 
children in a school where, besides religion and the or- 
dinary branches of study they might learn to work in 
field and garden. In 1882 the building in which the 
school was held was destroyed by fire and a child of 
the missionary and three Indian children were suffo- 
cated. A larger building was immediately erected. In 
the same year the Government presented to the Men- 
nonites an old fort, called Cantonment, where they 



— 113 — 

could establish a second station. Missionary Haury 
went to the new station and H. R. Voth took charge of 
Darlington. A few years later a number of children 
were placed in school at Halstead but after two years 
they were removed to the farm of Rev, Chr. Krehbiel, 
who was then the president of the Mission Board. Not 
long afterwards the plan of educating Indian children 
in separate schools was given up and the missionaries 
began to devote their attention especially to the people 
in their camps. 

The work among the Indians was particularly dif- 
ficult. First, their language was hard to learn; then 
they lived a nomadic life and with their "tepees" were 
now here now there. Above all they were given to 
certain heathenish practices and vices which they 
found hard to give up. Besides, the Indian is very 
proud and suspicious and holds with great tenacity to 
the traditions of his ancestors. Various kinds of dances 
form an important part of his religion. 

Because of such difficulties results came slowly. 
The children in the schools learned English songs and 
Bible stories and many seemed eager to lead a better 
life. Some of them died quite young, yet in their last 
moments gave evidence that what they had learned of 
Jesus was not altogether without effect. Even the 
older Indians in their dying moments were not indif- 
ferent when they were told of the Gospel. 

In 1893 Missionary H. R. Voth was sent to Arizo- 
na to establish a mission among the Hopi Indians, and 
J. S. Krehbiel was left in charge of the station at Dar- 
lington. A few years later this station was given up, 
owing largely to the individual allotments of land by 



— 114 — 

the Government and the consequent removal of many 
of the Indians. At Cantonment, where a large build- 
ing had been erected, the work was carried on for a 
little while longer. When the Government started a 
school there and the Indians were removed to their 
allotments near Canton, the mission station followed 
them. For a number of years Missionary J. A. Funk, 
assisted by a native helper, William Meek, has been 
in charge of this station. He, however, after 25 years 
of service, has resigned from active work and will leave 
the mission field. The station at Canton is now the 
only one where mission work is carried on among the 
Arapahoes by the M'ennonites. In two other places 
work was carried on for several years. One station was 
on the Washita in charge of J. J. Kliewer, and the oth- 
er in the Red Hills, not far from the site of Geary, in 
charge of J. S. Krehbiel. 

Among the Cheyennes Missionary Rudolf Petter, 
who had come from Switzerland, began work in 1891. 
He took up his residence at Cantonment and from 
there visited the Indians in their tepees. A part of 
the tribe of the Cheyennes, with about 3,500 members, 
had been compelled by the Government to remove from 
Montana to the Indian Territory. Because of this for- 
cible removal they were in very bad humor for a long 
time and Petter won their confidence with great diffi- 
culty. Right at the start he devoted himself to the 
study of the difficult language, but the Indians put 
all sorts of hindrances into his way. Finally, however, 
he succeeded in winning them over and got them to 
listen to the message of salvation and to help him in 
his language study. In 1897 five persons were baptiz- 
ed and a congregation was organized. In the course 



— 115 — 

of time Missionary Petter has become quite proficient 
in the use of the Cheyenne language and has translat- 
ed the gospels of Luke and John and other portions 
of the Scriptures, also Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress 
and some hymns. He wrote a Cheyenne grammar and 
compiled an English-Cheyenne dictionary. In this work 
he had the able assistance of his wife, formerly Miss 
Kinsinger, who has been in the mission field for over 
20 years. 

At the present time, active mission work among 
the Cheyennes is done at Cantonment by Albert Claas- 
sen, assisted by Agnes Williams, and at Hammon, since 
1898, by H. J. Kliewer. At Clinton, M. M. Horsch be- 
gan the work and was followed in succession by G. A. 
Linscheid, J. H. Epp, and J. B. Ediger, who is still in 
the field. At Fonda the work was taken up in 1916 
by H. T. Neufeld, who had been in Montana a short 
time but was sent to Oklahoma when Missionary Pet- 
ter was compelled to seek a northern climate on ac- 
count of his health. The missionaries assisted by sev- 
eral native workers, have labored with some degree of 
success, and at all the stations small congregations 
have been organized. 

Mission work among the Cheyennes in Montana 
was begun in 1904. Missionary Petter had before made 
several visits there with the purpose of investigating 
conditions. As he spoke the Cheyenne language as no 
other white man had ever spoken it, he was well re- 
ceived by the Indians. He found conditions favorable 
for a new field and a station was established at Busby 
and placed in charge of G. A. Linscheid, who was trans- 
ferred here from Clinton, Oklahoma. Later a sub- 



— 116 — 

station was started on the Upper Rosebud river. Since 
1918 Alfred Habegger is also at work at Busby. In 
1910 stations were opened at Lame Deer and Birney. 
At the former place Alfred Wiebe was in charge for 
a short time, but was compelled to leave because of ill 
health. In 1916 Missionary Petter came from Okla- 
homa and took charge of the place. Birney has been 
in charge of P. A. Kliewer since the beginning. He 
also takes care of the substation at Ashland. 



41. MISSIONS AMONG THE HOPIS 
(General Conference.) 

Among the Hopis in Arizona Missionary H. R. 
Voth established a station in 1893 at Oraibi. This 
station is situated in a sandy valley about 65 miles 
from the railroad. Under great difficulties the mis- 
sionary built his house and dug a well. Soon the In- 
dians came down from their "mesa" to get water and 
medicine and friendly relations were established. 

The Hopis most likely are descendants of the cliff- 
dwellers, consequently belong to the oldest and most 
intelligent of the aborigines of this country. For cen- 
turies they have lived upon plateaus from 400 to 600 
feet high, called "mesas". They are not far from the 
famous Grand Canyon. Their earlier history is shroud- 
ed in vague legends. They have seven villages on three 
mesas, with about 2,000 inhabitants. At Oraibi there 
is also a government school and not far away are the 
ruins of an old Spanish cloister. The Hopis differ 
much from other Indians in their mode of life. They 
are entirely self-supporting. The men do the work in 



— 117 — 

the fields, make the clothing and supply most of the 
fire wood. The women are the carriers of water, do 
the house work, grind the flour and perform other 
kinds of menial labor. 

The religion of the Hopis consists chiefly of nu- 
merous prayers, songs, dances and mysterious ceremo- 
nies of some of which they themselves no longer know 
the meaning. These ceremonies are all in charge of 
priests and certain secret societies. A prominent fea- 
ture is the worship of the "Katzinas", who they say 
are the mediators between the people and the gods. 
But as they are not on earth now, they are represented 
by Indians wearing masks. They are also represented 
by dolls given to the children. The snake dances, per- 
formed in the summer, are most horrible. They have of- 
ten been attended by many white tourists, some of 
great prominence, Roosevelt, for example. With many 
songs and dances the Indians catch poisonous snakes, 
wash them, take them into their mouths and dance a- 
round with them. After the ceremony the snakes are 
carried away and set free, The purpose of most of the 
ceremonies seems to be to petition the gods for rain 
and to remove anything that might hinder its coming. 

The work among these Indians proved to be very 
difficult and in the earlier years was attended by little 
apparent result. Just as among other tribes the soil 
had to be prepared before it could receive the seed. 
The missionaries spent much time and effort in learn- 
ing the language and getting acquainted with the re- 
ligion of this tribe. In this respect the missionaries 
met with a high degree of success. They wrote a Hopi 
dictionary and a grammar and translated parts of the 
Bible and about 100 Gospel Hymns. They also gath- 



— 118 — 

ered much valuable information regarding the religion 
of the Hopis. 

On the 21st of August 1904, a girl named Lillie 
Talawenka was baptized by Missionary J. B. Frey. She 
was the first one to take this step and because of it 
had to suffer much persecution from her people. The 
Hopis at first believed that if anyone was baptized, he 
would soon die, or it would keep the rain from coming. 
Not long after the girl had been baptized there came 
a welcome rain and proved that the Indians were 
wrong in their belief. 

After ten years of service among the Hopis, Mis- 
sionary H. R. Voth felt obliged to leave the mission 
field. Before his departure however, J. B. Epp arrived, 
and with Voth's assistance began to study the lang- 
uage. Next came J. B. Frey and in 1905 took up the 
work at Moen Copi, about fifty miles from Oraibi. An- 
other missionary, C. J. Frey, came a little later, but 
after a comparatively short time he fell sick and died- 
Trouble between the so-called "friendly" and "unfriend- 
ly" Indians brought an interruption in the mission 
work and gave rise to several new villages. Owing to 
the sickness and consequent death of his wife, J. B. 
Epp also discontinued his work. His place at Oraibi 
was taken by J. R. Duerksen, who in 1914 continued 
his work at Pakavi and Hotevilla. At the former place 
Maria Schirmer had been working for some years 
among the women and continued her work there until 
the present year (1919). At Oraibi Mr. and Mrs. Hol- 
comb, from the Navajo mission, did good service after 
Missionary Duerksen had left. At present Elizabeth 
Schmidt is at Oraibi, where for the past years she has 



— 119 



devoted herself entirely to the care of several orphan 
children. Carl Friesen and his wife have gone there 
recently. 



42. MISSIONS IN INDIA. 
(General Conference.) 

In the years 1897-1899 India experienced one of 
its periodical famines. The report of the terrible suf- 
fering induced the Mennonites to send help, and a car- 
go of 8,000 bushels of grain was distributed under the 
supervision of Rev. David Goerz. But it did not seem 
right to relieve the physical hunger of the poor people 
and let their souls starve. The decision was soon reach- 
ed to send them also the bread of eternal life. In the 
year 1900 the missionaries P. A. Penner and J. F. 
Kroeker arrived at Bombay. At first they went to 
Dhamtari, where the Old Mennonites had established 
a mission two years before, and there began the study 
of the Hindu language and gathered useful knowledge 
for their work. After some investigations they se- 
lected Champa and Janjgir in the Central Province as 
the seat of their stations. At the beginning their at- 
tention was largely given to the care of orphans caused 
by the terrible famine. The girls were taken care of 
at Champa by Penner and the boys at Janjgir by 
Kroeker. Later, however, the girls were also placed 
at Janjgir and the boys removed to the new station 
Mauhadei. Very early Missionary Penner saw the 
need of an asylum for lepers, and in 1902 made a small 
beginning by receiving a few lepers and allowing them 



— 120 — 

to live in huts especially built for them. In the course 
of years the work has grown to such proportions that 
he now cares for over 200 patients. The asylum is lib- 
erally supported by a society in Great Britain. 

The girls' orphanage at Janjgir has also assumed 
larger proportions. Missionary P. W. Penner was sta- 
tioned there and had direct supervision of the work. At 
present he with his wife is in the United States on 
furlough. On account of the war they have not yet 
received permission to return. For several years the 
girls were under the immediate care of Annie C. Funk. 
In 1912 she was on her way home for a needed rest 
and took passage from England on the ill-fated steam- 
er Titanic. On April 15 the vessel struck an iceberg 
and Miss Funk, with many others found a grave in the 
cold waves of the Atlantic. In memory of her faithful 
service and her tragic death a building has been erect- 
ed at Janjgir which is known as "The Annie C. Funk 
Memorial. " Since then Anna Braun has been in charge 
of the girls, but is now also on furlough. During the 
absence of Missionary Penner and Miss Braun the sta- 
tion is under the care of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Steiner 
and Martha Burkhalter. At Mauhadei, where work 
was begun in 1911, P. J. Wiens and his wife are the 
missionaries. Here as at the other stations, a congre- 
gation of native Christians has been organized. At 
this place the boys' orphanage is located. The latest 
station established is at Korba (1915) where Mr. and 
Mrs. C. H. Suckau are at work. In the summer of 1919 
Noah Burkhalter and his wife also were sent to India. 



— 121 — 

43. MISSIONS IN CHINA. 
(General Conference.) 

China is a large country where millions of heath- 
en have not yet come under the influence of the Gospel 
of Jesus. For a long time it has challenged the atten- 
tion of the followers of Christ who would heed his 
command, "Go ye into all the world." Among those 
to whom the call of the benighted country appeared 
insistent was H. J. Braun. In 1911 he, with his wife, 
went to China and opened a mission station at Kai 
Chow, Chihli. In the beginning they were supported 
by individual friends and churches. A few years later, 
however, the General Conference assumed the care and 
responsibility of the field. Additional workers were 
found willing to enter the service. Talitha Neufeld 
joined the missionaries at Kai Chow and prepared her- 
self especially for school work. E. G. Kaufman and 
wife, together with Aganeta Fast, also entered the 
field and are now r at Kai Chow while Missionary 
Brauns are on furlough. In 1918 another station was 
established by Mr -and Mrs. P. J. Boehr at Tung Ming 
Hsien, where they since have been laboring with suc- 
cess. In the summer of 1918 Sisters Christina Habeg- 
ger and Meta Sprunger entered the field and in the 
present summer (1919) S. J. Goering and W. C. Voth, 
with their wives, have also been sent there. 



As already mentioned in another place, congrega- 
tions of native Christians have been organized at prac- 
tically all the stations under the control of the General 
Conference. The number of converts in the various 



— 122 — 

fields at the present time is as follows : Oklahoma, 175 ; 
Montana, 157 ; Arizona, 31 ; India, 521 ; China, 89 ; thus 
making a total of 973 in all the fields. The work in 
these missions is carried on by 19 missionaries and 
their wives. They are assisted by 9 unmarried sisters 
and 83 native helpers. The work and the influence of 
the wives of the missionaries deserve special mention. 
Only they, in many cases, find it possible to enter the 
households and bring the message of salvation to the 
women. 



44. MISSIONS OF THE CENTRAL CONFERENCE 
AND DEFENCELESS MENNONITES. 

The active missionary work of the Central Con- 
ference of Mennonites began at the annual conference 
held at Meadows, Illinois, September 14, 1905. As a 
result of two strong missionary addresses given by Al- 
ma Doering, a returned missionary, and Charles E. 
Hurlburt, president and director of the African Inland 
Mission, it was decided that the Central Conference 
should do some definite work in Africa. On December 
1, 1905, a temporary missionary organization was 
formed. It was decided to send three missionaries into 
British East Africa, in the field controlled by the Af- 
rican Inland Mission. In the year 1906 the first two 
missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence B. Haigh, were 
sent, and in the fall of 1907 four additional missiona- 
ries were sent out, namely, Jesse Raynor, L. S. Probst, 
Miss Schoenhut and Miss Laura Collins. It was found 
unsatisfactory to work under the jurisdiction of the 
African Inland Mission. In the year 1909 steps were 



— 123 — 

taken towards selecting some other field in Africa. In 
the same year the Missionary Board was incorporated 
under the state laws of Illinois. The corporate name 
of this board is "The Central Mennonite Board of 
Home and Foreign Missions." 

The Defenceless Mennonites first sent out Miss 
Mathilde Kohm in 1897 as their missionary. She was 
then laboring under the direction of the Missionary 
Alliance. In 1900 Miss Kohm was again sent to the 
field and was accompanied by Alma E. Doering, labor- 
ing this time under the Swedish Missionary Society. In 
1905 work was begun in British East Africa under the 
direction of the African Inland Mission. Alma Doering 
and Marie Schneider were sent out and a little later 
Emil Sywulka, also Amos Oyer and Julia Oyer and 
Anna Zimmerman. Good success attended the work of 
the missionaries, but the field seemed to be somewhat 
congested, so investigations were made for a new field. 

In 1911 the Congo Inland Mission was organized 
by members of both the Central Mennonites and the 
Defenceless Mennonites, and the late Alvin J. Steven- 
son was first sent to the Congo about 1,000 miles in- 
land to investigate and find a suitable territory. Soon 
after Stevenson's departure for the field, L. B. Haigh 
and his wife were sent and they helped to establish 
the new stations Djoka Punda and Kalambe in the 
Kassai district- But it was not long after the locating 
of these stations that Missionary Stevenson took sick 
and died. Since then Haigh has been superintendent 
of the mission and the work is prospering at both sta- 
tions. The following missionaries are now on the field : 
L. B. Haigh and wife, Miss Sprunger, and E. A. Som- 
mer and wife at Djoka Punda; J. P. Barkman and wife 



— 124 — 

at Kalambe. Aaron A. Janzen, William Kensinger and 
their wives and Omar Sutton are on their way to the 
field, having sailed January 25, 1919. Anna Zimmer- 
man is still laboring for the African Inland Mission at 
Kijabe, but is expected to return home soon on her 
second furlough. Mr. and Mrs. Barkman are also ex- 
pected to return soon on a furlough. 

The Home Missionary activity of the Central Con- 
ference began with the opening of the present Mennon- 
ite Chapel in Chicago under the leadership of Rev. A. 
B. Rutt. The present superintendent is Rev. E. T. 
Rowe . He is assisted by three helpers. In the year 
1915 the Peoria Gospel Mission was opened under the 
leadership of Rev. Jacob Sommer. He has two helpers. 



45. MISSIONS OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN 

IN CHRIST. 

The foreign mission efforts of this body of Men- 
nonites date back to about 1887, when Eusebius Hersh- 
ey from Pennsylvania went to Africa. He took no as- 
sociates with him and had no organization back of him. 
He soon succmbed to the deadly African climate. His 
heroism and sacrifice awakened missionary interest in 
the churches and the work has been progressing ever 
since. The following are the names of the stations 
with the number of missionaries engaged at each place : 
Africa, Central Northern Nigeria, 13; China, Kausu 
Province, 8; India, Lambak and Igatpuri, 3; South A- 
merica, Argentine and Chile, 11; Asiatic Turkey, Ar- 
menia, 9. The work in South America has been carried 
on in connection with the Christian and Missionary 



— 125 — 

Alliance. In the other places, with the exception of In- 
dia it has been conducted by various boards represent- 
ing different conferences of this branch of Mennonites. 
The work in Armenia was carried on chiefly in schools 
and orphanages. The boys were taken care of at Eve- 
^ek and the girls at Hadjin — about 500 altogetheJ 
Both places had to be closed on account of the war 
out are expected to be reopened when conditions war- 
rant. 



46. MISSIONS OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN 
OF NORTH AMERICA. 

During the earlier years the Mennonite Brethren 
Church in this country, supported no mission of its 
own, but proved active in supporting missionary enter- 
prises in different countries by sending liberal contri- 
butions of money. Visits from returned missionaries 
kindled interest in foreign missions more and more, 
and in 1884 the Annual Conference voted to support 
a native missionary in India. In the following year 
they elected a committee on foreign missions and 
agreed to support two native missionaries. Two years 
later they decided to support a native missionary in 
Kamerun, Africa, also one in India in connection with 
the Mennonite Brethren of Russia. These arrange- 
ments continued in force to about 1898. 

Among the Comanches in Oklahoma work was be- 
gun in 1894 by H. Kohfeld. This tribe numbers about 
1500 people and lives in the Wichita mountains about 
25 miles west of Fort Sill. Missionary Kohfeld succeed- 
ed in purchasing 160 acres of land for a mission sta- 



— 126 — 

tion. The purchase was made possible by the good 
will of the wif e of an Indian. She said to her husband, 
"If you do not sell the land to the white man, my heart 
can never be happy.' ' 

The work among the Comanches proved to be dif- 
ficult. Like all Indians they hold fast to their heath- 
en ideas and are slow to see the truths of the Christian 
religion. They are strongly held by the evil influences 
of the mescal bean, which causes a sort of intoxication 
and the use of which forms an important part of their 
heathenish rites. They claim that it enables them to 
commune with the Great Spirit. In spite of the diffi- 
culties, however, the work was continued and addition- 
al workers were sent out. First came Mary Regier, 
who has since been called to her heavenly reward. Then 
in 1901 came A. J. Becker and in the following year 
Katherine Penner. After twelve years of faithful ser- 
vice Missionary Kohf eld retired. His work brought its 
fruit after he had left. After thirteen years of ap- 
parently useless labor converts came and asked for 
baptism, so that at the present time the congregation 
numbers about fifty members. The work is now car- 
ried on by Rev. and Mrs. Becker and Mary Heinrichs. 

In India. In 1887 the Conference asked the Com- 
mittee on Foreign Missions to look for a field and find 
the necessary workers. A field was found in the Dec- 
can, India. It has about 2,000 villages and about 1,000, 
000 inhabitants. It lies in the province Hyderabad, 
having a capital of the same name. In 1899 N. N. 
Hiebert and wife, accompanied by Elizabeth Neufeld, 
sailed as the first missionaries to this large field. 
Soon, however, Hiebert was forced to return home be- 
cause of ill health and Miss Neufeld was joined by 



— 127 — 

Anna Sudermann, who had previously worked in the 
mission of the Russian Mennonite Brethren. The peo- 
ple at home were aroused to greater sacrifices by the 
addresses of Missionary Hiebert, and as a result, in 
1902, J. H. Pankratz and his wife answered the call to 
India. Two years later they were followed by Rev. 
and Mrs. D. F. Bergthold and in 1906 by a medical mis- 
sionary, Dr. Katherine Schellenberg. Then, in 1908, 
Rev. and Mrs. J. H. Voth, accompanied by Katherine 
Lohrenz. entered the field, the latter to take the place 
of Miss Xeufeld. who had returned home because of 
ill health. Next Rev. and Mrs. F. A. Janzen responded, 
and in 1915 they were followed by Anna Hanneman 
and Mary WalL Altogether at present there are four 
stations with four families of missonaries, three single 
workers and about a hundred native helpers. The med- 
ical work is made more efficient by a hospital at Nagar 
Kurnool. 

The missionaries had to go through many bitter 
experiences. Besides sickness and death there was the 
opposition of the Mohammedans. Because of their 
jealousy it became necessary to move the site of the 
main station, which was near Hyderabad, to another 
place. Yet all these hardships, sad experiences and ob- 
stacles do not prevent the success of the work. In fact, 
they make the workers the more devoted and zealous, 
and the result is seen in the increase of the number of 
the converts. There is now a total membership of 
over 2,100 native Christians. 

The Mennonite Brethren have also a few represen- 
tatives in the great field of China. F. J. Wiens always 
had a special desire to carry the Gospel to the people 



— 128 — 

there. But the Conferences did not wish to assume 
any more responsibilities, since they had all they could 
do in India. Nevertheless, Mr. and Mrs. Wiens re- 
sponded to the inner call and in 1910 went to China and 
started mission work in the province of Shong Hong. 
They have been blessed in their work and have organ- 
ized a congregation of Chinese Christians. Most of the 
funds for the support of this work come from individ- 
ual members of the Mennonite Brethren church. The 
Conference, however, owns the mission property and 
also contributes liberally to the support of the work. 
In all probability it will assume complete responsibility 
in the near future. 

Besides the missionaries mentioned in the forego- 
ing paragraphs, there are others at work under the 
auspices of other missionary societies. 



47. MISSIONS OF THE KRIMMER MENNONITE 
BRETHREN. 

In the year 1900 H. V. Wiebe began mission work 
among the negroes at Elk Park in North Carolina. A 
Miss Pruden had started a school there, but because of 
opposition of the Whites against all efforts to educate 
the negroes, had to give up her work. The bulidings, 
with some land, were purchased from her and Wiebe 
started a school and orphanage. The Whites tried to 
frighten him away also, but he continued in his work 
undaunted. He finally gained the good will and the 
confidence not only of the negroes but also of the 
Whites. In the summer of 1904 he had twenty chil- 
dren in the orphanage and was privileged to baptize 
ten persons. The work gradually grew so that besides 



— 129 — 

taking care of the main station at Elk Park they are 
holding meetings at four other places. At Elk Park a 
church was built jointly with the Baptists and is used 
together with them. At Boone they have a church of 
their own. Their total membership is about 60 at pres- 
ent. Some time ago Wiebe retired from the field and 
his place was taken by Joseph W. Tschetter, who has 
since supervised the work. J. H. Morrison holds meet- 
ings at various places and during three months in the 
summer teaches a school. The w 7 ork among the ne- 
groes has been signally blessed and has increased in 
spite of difficulties. 

Missions in China. Mission work among the Chi- 
nese was begun in 1905 at Tsao Hsien. The first ones 
to enter the field were Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Bartel, who 
have faithfully served until the present time. Among 
those that followed later were J. Schmidt, P. Balzer, 
P. Kiehm, J. J. Schrag, and G. K. Willem. The last 
mentioned went to China in 1918. Since the beginning 
the work has increased to such an extent that, accord- 
ing to a recent report, there are now seven main sta- 
tions, 29 missionaries and 38 native helpers. The na- 
tive Christians exceed 300 in number. Missionary ef- 
forts are directed not only towards preaching the Gos- 
pel, but extensive work is done also in taking care of 
orphans and of aged people. 

Besides the missions among the negroes and in 
China, some work has been done in Mexico and in Af- 
rica. Adolf Nick has been laboring among the Mexi- 
cans, sometimes in Old Mexico and sometimes in the 
Border States, and F. E. Hein was engaged in spread- 
ing the light of the Gospel among some of the natives 
of Africa. 



— 130 — 

48. MISSIONS OF THE OLD MENNONITES 

Among the people of this branch of Mennonites 
interest in foreign missions was aroused by the dread- 
ful famine that raged in India in 1897. They first sent 
help in the form of shiploads of grain, but soon took 
hold of the opportunity to bring to the starving na- 
tives the Gospel of Jesus Christ- In 1899 J. A. Ress- 
ler and W. B. Page went to India and selected Dham- 
tari as the site of their first station. At the beginning 
much of their work consisted in taking care of home- 
less orphan children. Soon their activities expanded 
and made the founding of other stations possible. Dr. 
Page and his wife soon returned home because of ill 
health. Ressler, however, remained and retained the 
supervision for a number of years. At present there 
are several stations with a total of about 600 converts. 
Twelve missionaries are now in the field and seven are 
on furlough. 

In more recent years the eyes of these brethren 
have been directed to South America. In 1916 T. K. 
Hershey and J. H. Shank, accompanied by their fam- 
ilies, went to this continent to open a new mission 
field. They are stationed at present at Buenos Aires, 
Argentina. 



— 131 — 



IMPORTANT DATES FOR REVIEW. 



67 Death of the apostles Peter and Paul. 

100 Death of the apostle John. 

167 Martyrdom of Bishop Polycarpus. 

200 Tertullian active in North Africa. 

250 Bloody persecution of Christians under Decius. 

323 Constantine the Great makes Christianity the state re- 
ligion. 

385 Execution of Priscillian — punishment of the first "her- 
etic." 

430 Augustine, bishop of Hippo Regius, dies. 

739 Death of Bishop Claudius of Turin. 

755 Boniface, the apostle of the Germans, is killed. 

1073 Pope Gregory VII. 

1170 Conversion of Peter Waldus. 

1209 Beginning of the war against the heretics in Southern 

France. 

1415 Huss is burned at Constance. 

1458 Bishop Reiser is burned at Strassburg. 

1467 The Bohemian Brethren introduce adult baptism. 

1483 Birth of Martin Luther. 

1492 Birth of Menno Simons at Witmarsum in Frisia. 

1517 Luther publishes his 95 theses. 

1525 Organization of an Anabaptist congregation at Zurich. 

1527 Hans Denk dies at Basel. 

1528 Balthasar Hubmeier is burned at Vienna. 

1536 Menno Simons leaves the Roman Catholic Church. 

1559 Menno Simons dies at the age of 67 years. 

1560 Large immigration of Mennonites into West Prussia. 
1586 First meeting house of the Prussian Mennonites near 

Graudenz. 

1597 Anna von Hoff, last martyr in Holland. 

1605 Marcus Eder and Hans Polzinger, last martyrs in South 

Germany. 

1614 Hans Landis, last martyr in Switzerland. 



— 132 — 

1618 Beginning of the Thirty Years' War. 

1660 Mennonites in Holland give help to the persecuted Bap- 
tists in Switzerland. 

1683 Founding of Germantown by Mennonites from Crefeld. 

1757 Prussian congregations begin to use the German lan- 
guage. 

1759 Johann Deknatel dies at Amsterdam. 

1760 Death of Zinzendorf. 

1847 Founding of the Dutch Missionary Society. 

1880 Beginning of Mennonite Mission among the Indians. 



— 133 — 



INDEX. 



I. The First Centuries Page 

1. Introduction 6 

2. The Apostles - 7 

3. The Conduct of the Christians 10 

4. Persecutions 12 

5. Martyrs 13 

6. Noted Teachers _ 16 

7. Constantine the Great . 19 

8. The Church Fathers - 20 

II. The Middle Ages 

9. Errors 23 

10. Early Reformers 25 

11. The Islam . 27 

12. The Gospel in Germany 29 

13. Papacy 1 32 

14. The Crusades 34 

15. The Dark Ages 36 

16. The Waldenses - 38 

17. Persecutions of the Waldenses 42 

18. Forerunners of the Reformation 44 

III. The Period of Reformation. 

19. Luther and Zwingli . 47 

20. The Anabaptists in Switzerland 51 

21. Hans Denk 53 

22. Balthasar Hubmeier 56 

23. Persecutions of the Anabaptists in South Germany 59 

24. Jacob Hutter 62 

25. Menno Simons . 65 

26. Persecution of the Mennonites in the Netherlands 68 

27. The Reformation in Other Lands 71 



— 184 — 

IV. The New Era 

28. The Wars of Religion 74 

29. Spener and Francke 76 

30. Zinzendorf and the United Brethren 79 

31. Bible and Mission Societies 82 

32. The Mennonites in Holland 85 

33. The Mennonites in Prussia 88 

34. The Mennonites in Russia 91 

35. The Mennonites in Switzerland 94 

36. The Mennonites and Anabaptists in Moravia and South 

Germany 97 

37. The Mennonites in America 100 

V. Mennonite Foreign Missions 

38. Java 104 

39. Sumatra 107 

40. Among the Arapahoes and Cheyennes 111 

41. Missions Among the Hopis ^-116 

42. Missions in India 119 

43. Missions in China . 121 

44. Missions of the Central Conference and Defenceless 

Mennonites 122 

45. Missions of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ 124 

46. Missions of the Mennonite Brethren of North America 125 

47. Missions of the Krimmer Mennonite Brethren 128 

48. Missions of the Old Mennonites 130 



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